Echoes of the past
by Loptr
Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the New Republic plunged back into war?
1. Fall from Grace

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated?

_**IOIOIO**_

Arlena stared at the screen intently, the green light from the screen casting an eerie shadow across her youthful face. At fourteen she stood at the respectable height of 5 4" and had developed a lean if somewhat awkward form. Her adolescent body was still growing and she was all limbs with the promise of a blossoming womanhood about to flower upon her. Her hair, though still in the Padwan buzz cut and braid, had turned a rich wheat colour from its silvery yellow hue of childhood and her eyes had not lost their vivid blue curiosity and life. While now she was only somewhat pretty, Master Kyv could tell she would soon turn into a beautiful young woman and a great Jedi. From day one she had shown promise, picking up on the slighter nuances of the force it took most Padwan's years to learn and handling her lightsaber with a ferocity and grace he had never seen in any of his Padwans. She was often slow in making moves and using the force, preferring to think everything over rather than acting on a rash decision but she puzzled things out faster than Kyv thought possible for such a young child. She had a sharp mind and while on business she had a concentration and dedication that Kyv envied and he instinctively knew that she would grow to be a great master who would train many great Padwans.

"Arlena, we are coming up on the planet. I am powering down all non-essential systems so we are undetected by the sensor grid, please, stop whatever you a reading." She nodded to the screen, switching it off and moving back to the cockpit silently. She looked troubled and in the red emergency lights that illuminated the cockpit after power down, he could see the worry lines on her face. "What is it, Alry?" He asked, casting his pensive Padwan a concerned look.

"…I can feel something, in the force. Something strange and…and it worries me Master." Kyv closed his eyes and concentrated…he could feel nothing strange.

"Describe it, Arly, I can feel nothing."

"It…it feels like. I am not sure how to describe it. Like a knot in my stomach that is twisting harder and harder which each parsec we cross to the planet. As if I am being pulled over a waterfall by a rope…it is….disconcerting" Kyv snorted and felt again with the force…there as something wrong but he couldn't place it. The tremors he usually felt in the force felt like cool water rippling across his skin to Kyv but the Force acted in strange ways.

"Keep your wits about you, Arlena. This is a dangerous mission the council have sent us on. I want you to put this disturbance from you mind and concentrate on the task ahead." She nodded, returning her gaze to the stars.

"Yes Master." Their ship glided down through the stratosphere and Arlena watched with mild interest as the sails extended from the craft allowing for an engine free landing. It was bumpier that she would have liked but then again, any landing was bumpier than she liked. She really disliked flying.

"We shall split up, less chance of us being detected. I shall take the East entrance, you take the South entrance and head to the control room. Be like the night wind, not seen, not heard but deadly if needs be." Kyv said in a hushed voice as they exited their craft and began a brisk jog to the compound on the moon. The building was orange with rust and was all angles and corners, very unpleasing to the eye and sticking out desperately in contrast to the dark red sand of the moon. Her Master disappeared over a ridge and the night was still apart from the shuffling of a nearby rodent and the distant call of a predator. She felt the knotting sensation return as she ran towards the compound and found herself unable to put it out of her mind. She leapt over a few trip wires and sensors and tried to concentrate on the task ahead while trying to find the location for this strange feeling.

_Lack of concentration could kill me. We are on an Iridonian moon, if we are caught we will be killed. I must not allow my mind to run from me._

She mentally scolded herself as she used the force to turn away a camera that was pointing in her direction. As she approached the door she felt, rather than saw, two Iridonian guards coming in her direction. Immediately she leapt into the air and clung to a pipe that ran along the side of the building. Hand over hand she climbed as quickly as she could until she reached as high as the pipe went. The two Zabrak turned the corner with their rifles in hand and yellow and red eyes scanning the horizon. They weren't scanning the building or the piping above them but Arlena still held her breath as they passed beneath her.

"Ko'tak ner hea?" One of the guards paused and sniffed the air deeply.

"Ni forwen ti la." The other grunted and kept walking.

"Ko'tak! Iol hea servan." She looked down on the horned crown of the Zabrak below her and contemplated whether or not to jump down there and take them out. The decision was made for her as the two guards moved on, the other one muttering under hisbreath. "FOLAN! Iol hea servan, kel!"

"Bra, bra, yelep schibb." The other muttered as they turned the corner. Arlen dropped back to the floor, releasing a breath she didn't know she had been holding before making her way to the door. It was sealed tight, a blue hand pad humming softly beside it. She passed her hand over it, making sure not to touch it as she manipulated the controls, technology was never her strong point but after a few tries the pad turned green and the steel door slid back to reveal a rather large, muscular Zabrak, glaring at her.

"FOLAN!" He raised his rifle but in a flash of blue its barrel fell to the floor and he was blown back by her outstretched hand. She ducked inside and a swipe of her lightsaber sealed the door. She wasn't going to take any chances.

She followed the corridor for several meters until she reached what she presumed to be the mess hall which was filled with hungry Iridonian Miners. If she wanted to get to the control centre she was going to have to find some way to cross it. Disguise was out of the question considering her lush golden hair and healthy tanned skin. The Zabrak of Iridonia were a pale people with thin dark lines zig zagging their face and a crown of horns on the head. They were also renowned for their martial prowess and aggressive tendencies and she didn't want to have to hurt anyone.

_What I need_, she thought, _is a distraction_.

She closed her eyes, searching with the force for an answer and opening her eyes again, she found them resting on an air vent on the roof. She stretched out her hand and drew on the force. The vent began to shake slightly at first but then it increased until it was noticeably swaying from side to side and then broke free. It landed across two of the tables causing the Iridonian's to leap to their feet and shout. The open pipes on either side began to whoosh with a loud noise that defended her and the place became chaotic. Many of the Zabrak left and the others gathered around screaming at each other. Arlena took her chances and ran, crouched down between the tables. When one Zabrak saw her she waved her hand.

"I'm meant to be here, you saw nothing." She said before continuing on, out of the hall and into the main corridor. A few Zabrak were coming towards the Mess Hall to see what was going on but before they could react she reached out with the force and they were lashed against the wall. The blast door in front and behind them slid shut and she laughed as she skipped past and into the control room. She expected to see six or seven Zabrak manning the station but to her surprise there were only two. Using the force she quickly dispatched them and moved to sit in front of one of the consoles. She switched on her radio and waited for her master to call her. It took only a few moments for Kyv's hushed voice to come over the radio.

"Arlena?"

"I am in the control room Master."

"Alright, I want information about their mining operation. They say they're mining Carbon Ore but I think they're mining Yeralite to make into weapons. Poke around and see if you can find anything suspicious. I'm searching for Admiral Ykar, think you can help." Her fingers flew diligently over the controls and with a smile she watched coordinates pop up.

"If he's anywhere he's on the top floor, room 11a."

"Roger, I'll contact you again when I get there. Is your situation green?"

"Like your lightsaber. Good luck Master, and may the force be with you." Her radio went dead and she began her search.

They had been tracking Admiral Ykar for nearly a month. He had been causing troubles and marshalling troops for his war against Iridonia to overthrow the King and Queen who exiled him. It was thought that this mining facility was being used as a weapon depot and that Ykar himself was overseeing the shipping and so Kyv and Arlena had been sent to find and capture him. She was pleased that Master Luke and Mistress Mara would have so much faith in her but also disconcerted. She was only young and although strong in the force, still a long way away from being a Master and capable of missions like this. She was given the easy part, it was up to her Master to do the rest.

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" Her head snapped to face one of the Zabrak she thought she had incapacitated, her hand was on the Alert Button and already people were tying to bang down the door. In a panic she leapt to her feet, drawing her lightsaber as the door gave in and three Zabrak ran in, blasters in hand. She deflected their shots easily, felling two but the third took cover, firing sporadically at her and cowering behind a crate of ore. She threw out her hand and the crate flew back, taking the Zabrak with it and pinning him to the wall. She heard the sound of more feet coming and turned back to the computer. She didn't have much time and pulled out a data chip, inserting it into the terminal and downloading the database. It would take eleven seconds for it to fully download and already two more Zabrak were running in. She sliced the first clean in half as he ran at her and the other was slashed diagonally from shoulder to hip before he fell to the ground in two pieces.

Turning, she grabbed the data chip and stuffed it into her robe pocket, fleeing from the control room and towards the exit. Fire doors began to slam shut and using her lightsaber she began the laborious task of cutting through. It must have taken her twenty minutes to reach the doors and she found five Zabrak in waiting. Her lightsaber made a comforting humming noise as it swung and twisted, lulling her into the rhythm of the dance she had learned as a Youngling. Before she knew it the Zabrak were all felled and the door was nothing a lightsaber couldn't slice through.

Her radio was still dead as she bolted outside and looking back at the building she saw why. Inside one of the windows on the top floor she could see the neon green flash of her Masters lightsaber and the red bursts of light that was a blaster being reflected back off it. She paused, urging her master to come on but to her horror the green light was extinguished and she felt a tremor in the force.

"No." Her eyes widened in shock and horror and she made to run back inside when the window shattered and her Master was thrown to the sands beside her, his honey blood trickling down his face.

"Too many of them. Run Arlena, get back to the ship. I'll hold them off." He struggled to his feet but she could see the tear in his side. It had obviously been made by a vibroblade.

Before she had time to ask, phaser fire rained all around them and she had to swing her lightsaber in a continuous circle to deflect most. Droids lined the windows firing down and she aw Ykar standing behind them holding a double sided vibroblade and smirking.

"I wont leave you behind." She said defiantly as they back up the dune towards their ship. Still deflecting the shots as best they could. One grazed her arm and she bit her lip hard, fighting to ignore it and keep blocking but a second hit her leg and a third her shoulder. She went down heavily and coughed as she inhaled the sand.

"Arlena!" Her Master's long, slim tail gripped her lightsaber and began to deflect some of the shots away from her. He was not as skilled with it as he was his hands but it allowed her enough time to get up and make her way faster to the ship. The droids weren't following and when they had topped the crest and began to run down to their ship, the firing ceased.

By the time they had made it to their ship, Kyv was on the verge of collapse and throwing himself into the pilots chair, he barely had enough energy to get them space born. When they had finally jumped to warp, away from the planet, he collapsed onto the deck and Arlena saw for the first time the extent of her Masters injuries. She knelt at his side, turning him onto his back and peeling away the dark brown robes he wore.

"Master, we must get you to the medical pod. You've lost a lot of blood and you've been deeply wounded in the chest." Kyv shook his head.

"My injuries are to severe. Arlena…I'm dying."

"NO!" The cry was out before she could contain it and she blinked away the rapidly forming tears. "Don't say that. We'll get you in the bacta tank and everyhing'll be alright. I promise!" Kyv shook his head.

"I can feel my life force ebbing even now. Listen to me, Arlena, what I have to say is important. I want you to make sure they scatter my ashes into the wild of Cathar. My home planet, I'd be honoured if that person was you. I have a sister, Zelya, she'll have something to give you when you go to Cathar. Call into her. I've made all the provisions for my death. All you have to do is go to her and she'll know what to do. I also want you to go under the tutelage of Master…" He grunted suddenly, clutching his side. "Master Shensharu, my old Padwan, he will hone your skills with your sabre. You are already so proficient in using the force. Arlena…" He smiled at her, reaching up and cupping her tear stained cheek. Her hand covered his warmer furred one. "I love you. For the last five years you have been like a daughter to me."

"And you a father to me." She hiccupped, unable to fight the tears.

"I want you to know how proud you have made me, I am the envy of all the other Masters. You're so well behaved and dedicated. Strong of mind and body. You will make a great Jedi and Master to a bright young Padwan someday. Do not grieve me, rejoice I am becoming one with the force." Convulsions wracked her body, accompanied by sobs as the light began to fade from her Masters brilliant eyes. "Do not fear, my Padwan. Fear leads to the darkside. Do not go there, never go there…my daughter, my friend, my Padwan…" His head lolled to one side as he breathed his last words. She screamed her pain and fell over his body. Crying into his still warm shoulder. She lay like that for a long time before there was the sound of the ship being hailed. She dragged herself from her Masters now cold corpse and into the chair to answer the Comm. A Jedi Consul appeared on screen.

"Padwan? Where is your Master? You have been crying…"

"My Master is dead!" She screamed, burying her face in her hands. The Consul's voice was sympathetic and reassuring even though her face conveyed sorrow and horror at the news.

"Kyv was a good man and Jedi, he has gone to be one with the force. Was your mission a success?" She shook her head.

"We got the data but we didn't get Ykar." She sobbed, "I want to go home. Let me come home." The consul nodded fervently.

"Oh of course, plot a course for Courasaunt. Come home little Padwan. There, there, don't cry. You'll be among your own in a while."

She piloted the shuttle onto one of the landing pads with a little less grace than she should have and was surprised when it was Master Luke who greeted her.

"Arlena." He extended his arms and she ran into them, screaming her pain and sorrow into his chest and crying shamelessly. He held her as the medics carried his massive body out of the ship. Luke stroked her hair soothingly, whispering reassuring words to the hysterical child but she didn't hear them.

"It's my fault. It's all my fault." She sobbed. "He wouldn't have gotten caught if it wasn't for me. I should have just killed the Zabrak. I should have killed them all! I WILL KILL THEM!" She tried to pull away from Luke but he just grabbed her wrists and held her in place.

"Control yourself, Padwan. You will be killing no one. Come, we will meditate."

"MEDITATE!" She shrieked. "MEDITATE! NO! I WANT REVENGE! THEY KILLED MY MASTER!"

"He is not dead, he has merely become one with the force." She shook her head, her bloodshot eyes staring at Luke with more pain and suffering than he had seen since the Empire had been overthrown.

"Arlena, Arlena come here. We shall meditate. Masters will be sent to get Ykar."

"I want to go."

"No, Arlena. You are angry. You will not be allowed near Ykar until you have mastered your anger. Anger is the path to the darkside. The darkside is twisted and sordid. It may seem alluring and powerful but the light side will _always_ prevail no matter what. Justice will be served and your Master revenged but not like this. Not with anger and hate. That is not the Jedi way." Arlena nodded, looking up into the Grand Masters eyes.

"He was like my father." She whispered, biting her lip.

"I lost my father to the force as well. My anger, my hate, my fear. It nearly consumed me. For the longest time I refused to believe and that's when I realised that no one ever truly dies. They become one with the force and the force is always with you, meaning they are always with you. Open yourself to the force and you open yourself to them. All the Jedi who ever lived, they are all around us, watching over us and guarding us and guiding us."

"Where were they when my Maser was killed?"

"It was his time, Kyv was a good man. Go to the hall of remembrance. His name and ashes will be added and…"

"No!" Luke looked down at the little girl who was shaking her head. "He wants his ashes spread over the jungles of Cathar where he grew up. He asked me to do that. Please…let me do it for my ma…my _old_ Master." Luke nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"As you wish. But promise me you'll meditate until called for." She turned and walked away.

"Yes Master Luke." She made her way to the meditation chamber and sat cross legged on one of the high circular chairs.

"Fear leads to anger." She said, mocking Luke's tone. "Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." She punched the red foam and began to cry again. "The only one I see suffering here is me!"

"Worry not, little one. Death is natural, it comes to us all. There was nothing you could have done." She turned to see a man sitting on one of the chairs across from her. Had he been there a moment ago? She didn't recognise him from around the temple. He wore the old style robes and had long brown hair and a beard, his kind blue eyes held great compassion and wisdom and Arlena knew she was in the presence of a Master.

"Master, I did not see you. I apologise if I disturbed your rest." The Master smiled, shaking his head.

"I was not meditating. What troubles you?" She caught her lip in her teeth like she always did when nervous or afraid.

"My…my Master. He died and I could do nothing to stop it." She said, her voice quavering again. She would not cry, she would not cry.

"If you could do nothing to stop it then why worry, he is one with the force now." She shook her head.

"He shouldn't have died."

"They never should."

"It was my fault, I should have died." She protested, looking up the Master, her pain clearly etched in the lines of her face.

"For one so young, so much pain. Tell me your story." She didn't know why she trusted this man so but she told him every word and he nodded, listening patiently. "Oh, young Padwan. Take my hand. We shall meditate together. You must learn to listen to your feelings and to follow them but not let them lead you."

"…Will you teach me?" The man chuckled, shaking his head.

"I can not be your Master but I will watch over you, guard you…and guide you." Her eyes widened. She recognised the man now but how was that possible?

"How?"

"I became one with the force. My own Padwan was much like you when I died but he pulled through."

"Obi-wan." She whispered reverently and the man nodded.

"Yes, he went far and learned to control his emotions…Arlena, there is much power in the force. It can even be used to prevent death and to create life but that is not our decision to make. Never _ever_ abuse the force, Arlena. It is important you listen to me. You can grow to be a powerful Jedi but you could also grow to be a terrible Sith."

"The Sith are gone!" She exclaimed. "I am not like them! I would never turn to the darkside."

"That is what Anakin said. He didn't turn to the darkside out of greed or malice…he turned to it out of love and a desperation to save those close to him but he became blinded by the darkside. It twists your soul, changes you and makes you dark. Never turn to the darkside."

"What makes you think I will?"

"There is much fear in you, much anger and hate. Don't give into it. No matter what…they are coming for you."

"But I've only been in here a few minutes!" She said surprised and he smiled.

"Really?" Her eyes snapped open and she realised she had been alone the whole time. The bright light outside of noon had turned into the dark of dusk…or the coming of morning.

"Padwan. The preparations for you Master have been made." A young Gungan youngling was standing at the door to the meditation chamber, staring at her expectantly.

"How long have I been here?" She asked, her throat dry and limbs weak but funnily, she felt more revitalised than ever before.

"Two days and nearly a third. The sun is just rising." Arlena looked to the seat where the old Jedi Master of a time long gone had sat moments ago and back to the Youngling who was sent to get her.

"I'll be right out." She looked around the room again, feeling with the force but there was nothing.

_My imagination has become very active. All that talk of old Jedi Master surrounding us has made me grasp at straws. Who sees dead Jedi?_

As she left she felt a tremor in the force, she ignored it but then she remember the hallucinations words.

_You must learn to listen to your feelings and to follow them_

She turned away from the hall of remembrance and walked along the path to the hanger bay where a shuttle was just after landing. She felt it again, a twang just behind her navel. What was it?

"Arlena? What are you doing here, you were summoned to the hall of Remembrance." Master Olan, a lime green Rodian addressed the young Padwan.

"I…never mind. I'm going there now." She cast a glance back a the shuttle and felt another twist behind her navel. It was sharper this time and she grimaced.

"Are you alright?" Olan asked.

"My stomach…never mind. I'll go see a medical droid later." They walked side by side to the hall where she saw her Master lying on the pyre. All the Council and Masters had surrounded the pyre but parted to let her through. It would be up to her to light it. She saw several Masters and Padwan's she knew. Master Luke was standing at the head of the pyre holding the torch and he handed it to her as she approached. She walked around the pyre once, looking at her Master for the last time. He looked as if he was just sleeping.

She said the words she had been taught to say at these occasions. They were in a language long lost and no one knew what they meant any longer but they had to be said, her quivering voice raised to the roof and echoed around to the assembled as she placed the torch in the pyre.

"May the force be with him." She finished and everyone took up the call, murmuring to themselves.

She watched the fire burn down to nothing and his ashes collected and taken away.

"Arlena." Master Shesharu walked up beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I grieve with thee. Kyv was my Master too." Arlena nodded.

"I know, I saw your fight when I was a youngling you were very good with the lightsaber." He nodded, smiling.

"He told me that if anything ever happened to you, he wanted me to train you. We will have to petition Master Luke but I' sure he'll agree…are you alright?" Arlena was staring at her hand where a large blister was forming on the back.

"I must have burnt my hand."

"Oh, here, let me." He took her small, slender hand in his two larger ones and closed his eyes. Arlena felt goose bumps run up her arms as he used the force and when he took his hands away the blister was gone.

"…How did you do that?" She asked in wonder, staring at her now perfect hand.

"Force heal. I can only heal minor wounds but properly trained they say you can bring people back from the brink. Master Olan is a healer, she taught me how to do that." Arlena stared at her hand in horror.

"You can heal with the force?"

"…Yes…Arlena, if you're thinking about Kyv then there was no way a young girl like you could have healed all those injuries."

"It took an hour to get back from the Iridonian system…An hour. If I had known this, know this force heal I could have kept him alive until then. I could have helped him with the major chest wound and kept him alive…"

"Arlena." She backed away, staring at Shensharu horrified.

"I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TEACH ME THIS! WHY!"

"You're too young…"

"NO! STAY AWAY! STAY BACK!" A few of the Masters and Padwans who were just leaving stopped and turned. "HE DIED FOR NOTHING! NO! I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM!" She began to hyperventilate and spots danced in front of her eyes.

"Arlena, there was no way you could have done this. It takes years of training." Arlena wasn't listening, she ran out of the hall blindly, running until her legs burnt and her breath came in uneven gasps. She felt the pulling behind her navel again and she knew it was pulling her in a direction. She turned down a small service corridor and followed the feeling she was getting from the force. She found herself outside the brig, two Jedi Sentinels guarding the doors. It was only guarded if there was someone inside.

"Excuse me, I have to go inside." She said, slipping past them.

"No one is allowed in there." A Twi'lek said, catching her by the arm.

"I was sent here to deliver a message by my Master." The Twi'lek sighed and nodded, no reason not to believe her and she slipped inside. Although she should have known what she'd find it still shocked her.

"Little Padwan?" The Zabrak's pale lips drew back to reveal a row of fangs.

"Ykar." She hissed. "You murderer."

"Your Master died then? Oh well, maybe if he hadn't looked out the window when you ran out I wouldn't have stabbed him in the chest. Silly man." She shook her head.

"No." She whispered. "It wasn't my fault."

"Oh it was, when you ran out the sun glinted off your sabre handle. He looked out to see what it was and when he saw it was you he paused a moment. Only a moment but I have been training to fight against you Jedi scum all my life." She gritted her teeth.

"You are the scum, murdering scum." She hissed.

"Oh, you're angry. Well that's strange, I thought Jedi didn't get angry. I thought that that led to the Darkside."

"If one more person talks to me about the darkside…." She growled, stalking forward.

"You'll what, kill them? Speaking of which, what are you here for?" Her eyes narrowed. "Let me guess, revenge? Why get revenge on me, it's the Jedi's fault for sending him. I was only protecting myself. Why didn't _you_ save him. I know Jedi can heal people." She growled low in her throat.

"Shut up."

"What's wrong, hit a nerve?"

"I said, shut up."

"You want to blame it all on me when you know it's all your fault."

"IT IS NOT!" She roared, stretching out a hand. He clutched his throat, gasping for air.  
"What…are…you…doing…STOP!"

"Take it back, it's not my fault!"

"Let…me…go."

"TAKE IT BACK!" It was then the two Sentinels at the door chose to come in.

"What are you doing child? Stop?" The Twi'lek shouted, the Wookie roaring and seizing her around the waist.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed and the entire room began to shake and the shield generator buckled, allowing Ykar to go free. He made a break for the door as the room around him was wrecked. "NO YOU DON'T!" She screeched, reaching for him and he was flung back against the wall, his face turning bright red as he too was crushed. The force she was using was beyond what either of the Jedi had and they could feel that it did not emanate form the same place as their own power. This was the power of the darkside.

"YOU MONSTER! MURDERER! YOU'LL NEVER SPREAD YOUR POISON AND LIES AGAIN!" Lightning crackled up her arms and body. The two Jedi drew their lightsabers but were flung back as the girl screamed in rage. It was then Mara Jade burst into the room and with a swipe of her lightsaber the girl fell to the floor, her left arm a smoking a stump.

"Check him." She said motioning to Ykar.

"He's alive." The Twi'lek reported and Mara Jade went to the child who was clutching her arm and moaning.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Arlena got to her feet shakily, clutching her stump.

"He killed my Master, he blamed me. I was getting revenge. JUSTICE!"

"That is not the Jedi way!" Mara said, grabbing the child's good hand to pull her to her.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE A JEDI ANYMORE! I HATE YOU! I HATE HIM! I HATE THE ORDER AND I HATE THE FORCE!"

"Hate…"

"DON'T PREACH TO ME ABOUT THE DARKSIDE! THE ONLY ONE I SEE SUFFERING HERE IS ME! THE FORCE HAS NEVER BROUGHT ME ANYTHING BUT PAIN AND SUFFERING! FEAR! ANGER! PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS HARPING ON ABOUT THE DARKSIDE AND THE LIGHTSIDE! WELL I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! I'VE HAD ENOUGH. I'M NEVER! _EVER_! USING THE FORCE AGAIN." She grabbed her lightsaber and in a flash of blue cut away her braid and pony tail then threw it at Mara Jade. "I HOPE YOU ALL ROT IN HELL!" She ran past Mara Jade and several stunned Masters who came to see what it was all about. "I'LL NEVER USE THE FORCE AGAIN!" She screamed, tears in her eyes as she fled the temple. Luke watched her go from a high up balcony, shaking his head.

"Let her go Mara." He said to himself and his wife, seven floors below, watched the child go. "I hope I know what I'm doing." The girl disappeared midst the crowd, her Padwan robe fluttering in the breeze and coming off her slight frame.

"If you kept her here, she'd only resent you." Leia said, coming up behind him.

"There is so much anger in her. What if she…"

"She has vowed never to use the force and I believe it's a promise she'll hold to. It has only brought her pain and suffering…"

"Do you think this is the last we'll see of her?" Leia shook her head and Luke sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

_IOIOIO_

A/N: Long, I know but would you believe that the original was 15 pages and had her watching the fight between Kyv and Shensharu and becoming a Padwan from Youngling. It was necessary for a plotline I decided not to follow so I got rid of it because let's face it,this was very long. That was why her description at the start was a bit strange, as if she had been described before because well…she had. The next few chapters will be shorter (I'm not spending all night writing a ten pager again) and no, the whole fic doesn't revolve around Arlena. I refuse to spawn a horrifying Marysue. shivers at the thought but there will be a few Oc's as well as some more familiar characters. Anyway, hope you've enjoyed it so far and constructive criticism is welcomed and adored. You're the ones who have to read this stuff so you might as well help me to make it better. All credit to Dana-Carter, Gevaden and Billy the Hick who originally started this and abandoned it, graciously allowing me to unleash my plot bunnies upon it. So…thanks for reading and don't forget to review…go on! Click the blue button. I'll give you digital candy!


	2. Power Games

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the Republic plunged back into war?

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far.

**Skywalker05: **(Bangs head on desk repeatedly) Goddammit! I'm such an idiot! GAH! When I took out the prologue that had Kyv and Arlena first meeting I took out his description and never put it back in! GAH! Stupid, stupid, stupid Estellio! …aaaannnywaay. Yeah, I know it was a bit long but I wanted to get all of Arlena's story in a chapter so we could move on, this chapter is a LOT shorter. The other's will probably be longer than this but shorter than the first. Glad you liked it and I'll try and clean it up. It was all written at night and though I read over it for mistakes you know how it is when you're reading your own work, you tend to skim.

**Gevaden**: Yeah, and you did one on me too without me noticing (Shakes fist) We're worrying about you. I knew you'd like the Zabrak's (For those of you who don't' know Zabrak are Darth Maul's specie and they come from Iridonia. Info courtesy of Gev) I'd love your input for the fic, you always have such new and interesting ideas.

May the Force be with ye.

_**IOIOIO**_

_Eight Years Later:_

The chambers of the senate were filled with the disgruntled cries of Senators from thousands of worlds. There was a cry for silence as Senator Neka Rin began to speak again and the votes were cast.

Senator Risha Y'darb of Kereys watched with a clenched jaw and balled fists as the proposal to help the people of Kellan was turned down. She couldn't believe that the Chancellor allowed him to get away with such atrocities. The people of Kellan were suffering and dieing and they were not allowing aid because it might offend the peoples sovereign? It was madness! If only Neka Rin didn't have so much sway with the Senate then thing could actually get done and maybe the Senate could do the job it was created for.

"Come on Ariot, we're leaving." She ground out between clenched teeth, turning with a flourish of her robe and leaving her senatorial post. Ariot motioned the two guards to follow her as they left and her exit did not go unnoticed by Senator Rin who watched her go with narrowed eyes.

As they marched through the splendid gold and red halls of the Senate, Ariot watched the Senators dark red curls sway dangerously in its ornate style as she waited for the on coming verbal assault she knew she was sure to receive from the enraged Senator. She didn't have to wait long.

"I can't believe it! What kind of an idiot would vote against helping these people! ARGH! It's all that oaf Neka Rin's fault! He has too much power in the Senate. I can't believe him!" She punched her own open palm and growled. "We could have helped those poor people but no! He is just content to watch these people suffer and die of a plague that we could help cure just because it might offend their sovereign if we helped? I don't see any reason why his dignity is more important that the peoples welfare! What do you think?" Ariot was quiet a moment before she realized she had been addressed and the Senators storm grey eyes were trained upon her.

"I completely agree Senator." She chanced and sighed with relief when Risha accepted this as a viable answer.

"Well good, if you can see it then why can't the Senate?" She fumed as they arrived at the flitter.

"Because they haven't had a chance to listen to your persuasive reasoning." Risha turned to her bodyguard with a shocked look on her face that soon melted into a smile.

"Watch it." She warned, giving Captain Ariot a playful slap on the arm.

"Yes Senator." She replied automatically, opening the door to the flitter for her and motioning the two other guards to go up front. After Risha had gotten in she adjusted her blaster belt and ducked in.

"Top of the morning to ya." The blaster was out of its holster faster than should have been possible by all the laws of physics and it was pressed against the man's temple a second later.

"You!" Ariot growled, not lowering her blaster. Risha had to put her hand on Ariot's writs and forcibly make her lower it. "How did you get in here?" She demanded but Ryan just gave her a lazy smile.

"Magic." He said with a flourish of his hands, causing the young Senator to giggle, raising a hand to her mouth. Ariot scowled at him, her hand not easing on the hilt of her blaster as she sat back.

"Some day I will figure out who you do this and I'll have ten men with blasters waiting for you." She said darkly, her eyes in slits, emphasizing the venom of her words.

"Friendly as always I see, but I don't think ten will be enough."

"As many as it will take then."

"Sure you have that many men?"

"I'll make that many."

"Your craftsmanship leaves a lot to be desired."

"Both of you, stop it!" Risha said half angry, half amused. "I assume you are here for a reason, Ryan?"

"But of course, I've just arrived back from my most recent expedition and I have some presents for you." Ryan reached inside his jacket and pulled out a slip of paper. "Meet me in docking bay five, at your leisure." Without further ado he opened the door and threw himself out. Risha instantly made a grab for him but he was gone. Peering down to the walkway, several stories below, she was sure she'd find a crowd gathering around a body but he had, for all intents and purposes, vanished.

Ariot reached across and shut the door with a scowl.

"Show off." She mumbled and sat back, turning her attention to the other cars speeding along the car. Risha unfolded the slip.

_Docking Bay Twenty Six, Eight tonight, come alone. (Aka. Don't bring the prude)_

"I wish he'd stop doing that, it makes my heart stop every time. I can't figure out how he does it." Ariot, who was looking out her window, could see the hover bike beneath them that was speeding away now that Ryan was strapped in.

"Oh he's fine as long as he doesn't miss the hover bike positioned beneath the car. It's probably how he gets in as well." Risha looked over to her confused.

"But you always tell him that you're going to figure it out someday...I thought that meant you didn't know how he did it." Ariot just shrugged and Risha took one more look at the slip of paper before tearing it up and leaving it fall to the floor of the car.

"What's that?" Ariot asked, looking down at the pieces with mild interest.

"Oh, just some junk he left in the car." Ariot grunted and looked back out the window, not seeing Risha's smile.

**_IOIOIO_**

As the sun set behind the tall skyscrapers and Coruscant sky darkened, Senator Neka Rin stood on the balcony, swirling a large glass of Manaanian Brandy.

"It went well in the Senate today, milord?" A young Zabrak approached Neka with a grim look on his face holding a bloodied knife.

"Not as well as I hoped, Kamir...please, put that away. You know I do not like you bringing weapons in the house." The Zabrak nodded and wiped off the blade with the edge of his jacket before slipping it into an unseen orifice. "I also asked you to stop killing my guards to get in unseen. I will give you the code to the back door if you want." The Zabrak shrugged.

"I did not kill your guard and I know the code to the backdoor." At this Neka straightened.

"Then who did you kill?"

"No one you'd care about, there was a bar fight and some guy got thrown onto me. I slit his throat and left." Neka raised an eyebrow but turned back to the scenery without saying anything. "What is it you summoned me here for, Milord." Neka bent over to lean on the railing, placing his glass down.

"Kamir...I have a job for you." Neka said gravely. Watching as two hover cars barely missed colliding with each other. The Zabrak behind him smiled, a sick twist to his pale lips that showed the barest hint of yellow fangs beneath.

"Oh really?"

"I have recently heard that there are a few people who think I have grown to powerful among the Senate. To…influential. " The Zabrak tilted his head to one side, waiting for his Master to continue. "One of these people is a rather young Senator named Risha."

"The Kereyian one? She is but a slip of a girl, only in the Senate a year. No one will listen to her." Kamir said dismissively.

"Oh…but they are. She has many Senators on her side and is the main voice of opposition against me. I want her taken care of." The Zabrak snorted.

"Easy. Anything else?"

"Do not be so sure. She has friends…and that Captain of hers is a shrewd one. I tried to trace her past but up until she joined the guards there is nothing on her. That's nearly fifteen years unaccounted for and I don't like being kept in the dark. She has never failed to protect someone who was put in her care. Senator Tolaris of Naboo was once put in her care and I sent my most skilled assassin to kill him. My assassin was returned to me in an envelope. Or at least what was left of him after the nix-hounds had ripped him apart and there was a letter."

"What did it say?"

"Next time don't send a Trandoshan, they give my dog indigestion." He growled, throwing down his glass.

"I'm not going to become Nix food." The Zabrak said indignantly. "In fact, I'll take her out for free." Neka turned back to him and smiled.

"You are the best, Kamir. You have never failed me before…don't start now."

"Yes milord." He bowed to his Master and swiftly left. Neka Rin turned back to stare out over the city. The glass lay shattered at his feet so he called his droid for another. The protocol droid was quick to respond, pouring him another brandy.

"That isn't good for you, you know?" A voice came from behind him and he turned slowly to face a second Zabrak.

"How did _you_ get in?"

"Your doors weren't locked…in any serious way."

"I thought I told you not to come here again."

"I have some very interesting news, Master Rin. I have tracked down Arlena, the Jedi who left the order about eight years ago." This caught his attention and he straightened up, approaching the Zabrak.

"Really, where?" Ykar stepped out from the shadows, a twisted grin on his face.

"She's here, on Coruscant …and you won't believe who she's with."

_**IOIOIO**_

A/N: A friend of mine gave me a rather odd idea which I have taken to. He put a sort of character bio of someone after every chapter and I decided that was a pretty good idea if you were using Oc's so I've decided to do something similar. Just a quick look at a character. We'll start off with a fairly important character in this chapter and the fic, Risha.

**Name**: Risha Y'darb.

**Age:** 20

**Home planet:** Kereys

**Occupation:** Senator, Ambassador from Kereys.

**Hair: **Dark Red / brown

**Eyes: **Grey

**Height:** 5 8"

**Marital Status: **Engaged to Prince Kohmdal of Kerey's

**Basic history:** Born and raised on Kerey's, the only daughter of a rather important family. Through arranged marriage she was engaged to the Prince of Kerey's and the office of Ambassador was thrust upon her. She's been serving as a Senator for nearly a year.

**Personality:** Risha is a complete pacifist and is repulsed by violence. She believes firmly in the old values of the Republic and will go out of her way to help people. She is very trusting and loyal and sometimes is blinded to other people true intentions, always believing the best of them. A shrewd negotiator who over the course of her term in office has gained many allies and the trust of several Senators. She is in firm opposition of Neka Rin but refuses to revert to covert measures (i.e assassination) to get rid of him. A great admirer of Princess Leia and her mother Padmé, she is in possession of the actual bikini Leia wore for Jabba and the ship Padmé crash landed on Tantooine with.


	3. Secrets and lies

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. I would have uploaded sooner but has been acting the wally and not allowing me to sign in.

_**IOIOIO**_

Senator Risha Y'darb of Kereys was a woman of many strengths and talents. Stealth, Ariot mused, was not one of them. She watched her charge slip out from the compound with some mild interest before deciding to follow her. The midnight blue cloak the senator had donned was difficult to track in the dark of the night but it didn't take a genius to figure out where she was heading and Ariot liked to think that she was no fool.

Coruscant was a big place and the Senatorial palace was a long way away from the warehouse where Ryan usually holed himself up in, so it was no surprise that Risha boarded a transport. Ariot groaned aloud when she did and broke into a run, taking a shortcut across town. She couldn't board the transport with her but she could try and head her off…It was going to be a long run.

_**IOIOIO**_

Kamir stood at the entrance to Docking Bay twenty-six and sighed. He had seen the Senator enter in the building nearly a quarter of an hour ago but she had yet to come out and according to the files, Bay Twenty-Six was being privately rented by an antiques collector named Ryan. What could she possibly want in there? To top it all off, he hadn't seen Captain Ariot enter either and his lifesign detector indicated that there was only two people inside. He was hoping to take a crack at the infamous guard also but he had to be content with what he had and there would be no better time to strike. A minor antique collector wouldn't have security in any serious way.

He leapt from the roof onto the street below and put away the LSD. The two lackeys he had brought with him joined him quickly as he quietly he stalked to the back entrance and pulled out a tiny pronged device. The key pad on the door beeped contentedly into the night as he inserted the device and with a small squawk of protest, the keypad light turned green allowing the Iridonian and the two Trandoshan's he had brought with him entrance.

"All too easy." He whispered to himself, returning the device to his back pocket. Drawing his blasters he made his way into the hangar. He saw a large, sleek silver ship parked next to an even larger shuttle but the hangar bore nothing else of interest except a few dozen crates and a work bench with a lightsaber on it. Drawing out his life sign detector he found the hangar empty. "Damn, she must have left." Kamir turned and headed for the ladder next to the shuttle, he'd do a quick scout of the area and leave, just to make sure.

No sooner had he put his foot on the first wrung of the ladder than he heard the noise of metal scraping over metal. At first he thought it was the sound of the hangar door opening but the door was still and the sound was getting closer.

"Freeze, identify yourself." A grating, droid voice commanded and turning, Kamir found two cylindrical droids, the like he had never seen before.

"Kamir, I'm here to see Ryan."

"You do not have an appointment. Leave the premises immediately." Two guns flipped out and pointed at him.

"Alright, alright. I'll go." He said, backing away. The droids rolled beside him and his group as they made their way to the exit but as he approached the door he saw Risha and Ryan exiting the sleek silver ship together, laughing at a joke he was too far away to hear. It was now or never.

He span on heel and fired at Risha, to his surprise and blue lightsaber shot out and deflected the shot and Ryan turned to face the intruder, his lightsaber humming loudly.

He was no antique collector! He was a Jedi!

The sound of metal scraping over metal filled the hanger as about seven or eight more droids filled into the room, all deploying with their guns pointed at Kamir…the firing started and he had no choice but to run.

_**IOIOIO**_

When Ariot finally arrived at Hangar Twenty Six where the note Risha had not so successfully hid, had said to meet. It was nearly ten past eight but considering she had just ran three miles, she was damn proud she had gotten here in under fifteen minutes.

She paused a moment to catch her breath. Bent over with hands on her knees and head between her legs, all she could hear was the gulping of her own breath and the thundering of her blood through her ears, however, when she straightened she could see the flashes inside the building that meant only one thing, blaster fire.

Ariot drew her own blaster and ran to the back door, it was no surprise it was already open and running inside she saw about ten destroyer droids firing on two men. A dead Trandoshan lay at her feet and she recognised his attire as belonging to that of a bounty hunter.

If Ryan survives this I'm going to kill him for putting Risha in danger…speaking of which, where is she?

She heard the hum of a lightsaber and saw a blue flash in the air. Looking up she saw Ryan hopping off the wall and slicing the remaining Trandoshan in half while blocking the Zabrak's fire.

The Destroyer droid near her suddenly turned.

"Freeze, Identify yourself." She noticed its shield generator wasn't operational and one shot to the control panel fried it.

"Stupid droid." She turned to face five more droids facing her, obviously not pleased with the destruction of their comrade and their shield generators were working perfectly. "Oh poodoo."

She dived behind several crates as they opened fire and began to crawl along on her belly.

"RYAN! RYAN! CALL OFF YOUR DROIDS!" She shouted, catching sight of him running along a platform overhead. He looked down to see her under siege and with a wave of his hand the droids shut off. "Bloody show off." She grumbled, getting back to her feet and running to find Risha.

She located the Ambassador being guarded by four droids who paid Ariot no attention as she approached.

"Captain Ariot, what are you doing here?"

"Protecting you! It's my job." She snapped angrily, grabbing the Senators arm and running for the exit. Ryan and the Zabrak were no where in sight.

"LOOK OUT!" Ariot turned at the sound of Ryan shouting and a thermal detonator flew in a graceful arc to hand in front of them.

"GET DOWN!" She shouted, throwing herself against Risha as it exploded and screaming as shrapnel coated her entire left leg. Her blaster was knocked clear and Ariot stared in horror as a large metal pillar began to collapse in their direction. The blast had done more than just burn her leg…it was going to kill her.

"Ariot." Risha ran to her side, grabbing her arm.

"No Senator! Get out of the way." She shouted, trying to push her away but the pillar had broken free of its bonds now and was falling rapidly towards them.

To her surprise it stopped inches from her face and she saw Ryan standing on the gangway, his hands outstretched and fierce concentration on his face as he straightened it back up and leaned it again the pillar next to it, making sure it didn't fall when he let it go. The Zabrak took this opportunity to take a shot at Ryan and caught him in the side, felling the errant Jedi.

"RYAN!" Risha shouted, running to aid him but Ariot just grabbed her, pulling her towards the exit as she half shuffled, half ran towards the exit.

"He'll be fine, we must get you to safety." The pain that wracked Ariot's body caused spots to dance in front of her eyes and with each step she grunted, leaning heavier and heavier on the Senator.

"Going somewhere?" The Zabrak blocked their exit, blasters raised. "I was hoping I'd meet you two here. Two birds with one blaster, so to speak. Goodbye." Risha looked to Ryan who was writhing on the grating, trying desperately to get up, Ariot was disarmed and Risha was a pacifist who carried no weapons. They were doomed.

The next thing Risha knew she was being thrown aside and when she got up the Zabrak was clutching his stomach, the blasters dropped and Ariot standing in front of him, weaponless but unscathed. The Zabrak fell to the floor dead, a large blaster burn in his stomach. Risha looked up to Ryan but he was only half up. There was no way he could have done anything…it had to have been Ariot.

"Is everyone all right?" Ryan asked, leaping down off the grating. Ariot was staring at the dead body as if in a trance, a disgusted look on her face.

"Ariot." Risha breathed. "How did you…"

"It was a Destroyer Droid." She said quickly and stumbled forward. Ryan caught her and helped her onto a nearby bench, grimacing at the extra weight put on his side.

"I'll get the medical droid." Risha said but Ryan shook his head.

"It's alright, I can do it." He reached a hand out and placed it on the burn on her knee, once Ariot realised his intentions she freaked, screaming and lashing out.  
"GET AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAY! AWAY!"

"I was only going to help." He snapped, angered at her response.

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP! GET THOSE DIRTY FORCE USING HANDS AWAY FROM ME!"

"FINE!" He shouted, getting up, turning on heel and marching to his shuttle.

"Ariot! What is wrong with you! He was only trying to help."

"If I wanted his help I'd have asked for it. Go get the medical droid." Her Captain grumbled irritably. Risha bristled at her tone but marched after Ryan, into the shuttle to retrieve the droid.

She found Ryan in the medical bay, the droid seeing to the wound at his side. He was leaning heavily on the bench, his shoulders slumped and head hanging down.

"She doesn't mean it, you know. She's just snappy because she's in pain." Risha said diplomatically, placing a hand on Ryan's bare shoulder. He shook his head.

"Crabby bantha. She's always been that way. She hates my guts." Risha laughed softly.

"Nah, she actually quite likes you but you always find a way to rile her up." He winced as the droid applied disinfectant but said nothing. Risha reached up and ran a hand along the nape of his neck, through his significantly longer hair.

"Last time I saw you, your hair was barely long enough to run a hand through, now it's nearly to your shoulders."

"I decided to grow it." He said looking up at her, his blue eyes searching her lighter grey ones. "Your hair has probably gotten longer too but I can't tell because you always have it in such crazy style. You must use enough engine oil to fill a tank to get it to stay like that." He said, touching the ornate curls she had it pinned up in reverently. "You should leave it down sometime, I'd love to see what it looks like." Risha smiled and turned to the Medical Droid.

"When you are finished here, come out to the main hanger." She said before ducking out and leaving Ryan to his work. Ryan watched her go with a small quirk to his lips before he turned to the droid.

"I'll be fine, get out there." The droid beeped and floated out after Risha.

Ariot had said it was a Destroyer Droid who killed him but the Destroyer Droids had all been knocked out by the blast. What the hell had happened and who is trying to kill Risha? Ryan wondered, examining his side where he had been shot, it was still a little tender but he'd live.

Reaching across he took a new shirt from a peg on the wall and slipped it on before following her out. As he was walking down the gangway his foot skidded on something and looking down he saw one of his lightsabers on the floor.

"That's odd. Wasn't that on the workbench?" He looked over to the workbench several meters away. There was no way it could have gotten from there to here unless someone had moved it. He cast a glance over to Ariot who was pointedly not looking at him.

There was something going on and he was determined to find out what it was.

Little did he know his every move had been seen and recorded and the little black bot flew away, it's job completed.

_**IOIOIO**_

**Name**: Ryan.

**Age:** 26

**Home planet:** Korriban

**Occupation:** Antique Collector.

**Hair: **Sandy brown

**Eyes: **Blue

**Height:** 5 11"

**Marital Status: **Single.

**Basic history:** Ryan was taken from his home planet at a young age to become a Jedi. Early on in his Padawancy he had a fight with his Master and was expelled from the order. He hates his old Master but for the last ten years he has been seeking out old Jedi antiques and selling on what he finds, keeping the most precious or useful for himself and refusing to give them to the Temple.

**Personality:** Ryan can have Jedi patience and understanding in some cases but in others he is quick to fly off the handle. A proficient warrior skilled in the use of the blade and several forms of martial combat, he enjoys battle but does not take unnecessary risk. He is a great tactician and studied all the old war scenarios. The old order and republic fascinate him but he is not much interested in diplomacy, instead preferring to fight but when he does turn his hand at it, he can be quite persuasive, Jedi mind tricks aside.


	4. Hope for the best, plan for the worst

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

A/n. Sorry it took me so long to update.

**Furry fur : **You are very strange, you know that? Sorry, Kyv is dead, how about this. I'll bring him back in ghosty form is you keep reviewing, deal?

**The little hobbit that could: **AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Best name ever, and yes! Ryan did create Ryan but he's mine now bitch, to do whatever I like with. Mwahahaha. I see crossdressing in the near future. Nah, I'm joking. Ryan was one of the original authors who turned this fic over into my capable hands but he still pesters me constantly and is always pering over my shoulder if I'm writing a fic asking 'Is that echoes, why aren't you writing echoes? Does this have smoethign to do with Star Trek! You sad, sad woman. Star Wars is so much better' and then we argue and no work gets done at all.

**tanwen: **Here's your candy. lol. Thanks for the review.

**Gevaden: **Go away, you're scary.

**Dana-Carter**: Live with it you nitpicker. Risha Y'darb will haunt you till the day you die, I'll have it put on your headstone deary. lol, is it really that bad? Well you're going to hate this chapter, it has a lemur like being called Bevan. Mwahahaha. I told you I'd put it in a fic, you didn't beleive me but...

enough of that, onto the fic.

_****_

IOIOIO

Ariot watched the Senator pace back and forth silently, she had been pacing for nearly an hour and Ariot estimated it would take another twenty seconds before she finally through herself on the bed and told her what was troubling her. Then again she had had that estimate an hour ago as well but _now_ it seemed far more likely.

With an exaggerated sigh, the young Senator threw herself onto the bed, her peach senatorial robe dancing in the rush of her fall.

"Who would want me dead?" She asked, more to the ceiling than to Ariot but she answered anyway.

"Three names spring to mind." Ariot said immediately. "Neka Rin, Ylan Farr and Lady Urisa." At the last name Risha sat up, casting Ariot an odd look.

"Urisa? As in, the Lady of the house Arisa? Why would she want me dead?" She asked, plainly at a loss to Ariot's reasoning. "I mean, I can understand Neka Rin and even Ylan Farr, they are two senators who have political reasons to get me out of the way, but the Y'darb's have never offended the Urisan's. This is preposterous, why would any of them want me dead?"

"I have two words for you…Prince. Kohmdal." Risha snorted, falling back onto the bed.

"You're grasping at straws now." She said dismissively and Ariot let out a harsh breath through her nose.

"You are too trusting."

"You are to untrusting."

"…Is that even a word?" Risha raised her head enough to shoot her a sharp look before laying back down. "Even if I am wrong, I am merely listing all the possibilities. Both Senatorial and Marital. You single handedly brought Ylan Farr's career around his ears by pressing him on that matter of the smuggling ring in his area of space. When you uncovered he was allowing pirates to have free pick of the land you made it your mission to topple him and things like that could make people hold a grudge. You have opposed every campaign that Neka Rin has headed since you joined the cabinet, often voicing rather strong opinions about his way of conduct and personal hygiene and Lady Urisa, or any of the Urisan family, would love to see you dead and Galen Urisa in your stead. She was a candidate to marry Prince Kohmdal also and lets just say she wasn't thrilled you and Kohmdal were joined instead of her."

"It's not like it was my choice." Risha mumbled.

"I didn't say it was, but that still doesn't rule them out. I could think of a few more less important people but none that could afford three fully fledge Bounty Hunters." Risha made a non-committal noise and turned on her side in the bed, facing the wall and mulling over it for several moments.

"If we could prove it was Neka Rin we could get him out of power." Ariot sat up straight, reholstering the blaster she had been cleaning.

"Oh, we think it's Neka now?"

"It couldn't' have been Lady Urisa, she'd have sent a family assassin. She is very xenophobic and is not open to dealing with Zabrak and Trandoshans."

"What about Farr?"

"He is under house arrest on Ir'ellan Prime and I do not believe he has the backbone to try anything so bold, it must be Neka Rin, it _has_ to be." Ariot nodded, agreeing with her Master's reasoning.

"Alright, say it is. How do you plan on going about proving it?" Risha got back to her feet and strode over to the Comm. "You'll need access codes for that, Ryan has everything on this ship encoded and locked and reencoded. The guy's paranoid." Risha snorted with laughter.

"I have the codes." She said and began dialling. Moments later a wizened, lemur like creature appeared on the screen.

"Senator Risha, when I heard of your disappearance I was worried, are you well?"

"I am fine, Senator Bevan, however an attempt has been made on my life and I have been forced into hiding, I can not reveal to you where I am but there are a few favours I must call in. It is my understanding that the annual Senatorial ball takes three days from now at the Senatorial Palace, yes?" Bevan nodded and was about to speak but Risha cut her off. "How do you feel about a little entrapment?"

_**IOIOIO**_

Luke closed his eyes and began to meditate. Only a few moments earlier he had felt a disturbance in the force that he couldn't recognise but knew he had felt before.

A flash of red, a scream of pain, death.

His eyes shot open from the vision and judging by the fact it was now dark he had been meditating for several hours. He had never had a vision that vague and yet so powerful. Something bad was about to happen and it was going to happen soon.

"Master Luke, Han Solo has arrived. Chancellor Leia sent me to inform you." A youngling entered, bowing his red and white striped head reverently.

"I'll be right there." Taking one last look out the window he heard the scream of a distinctly female voice ringing in his ears.

_I sense a great disturbance in the force, I should meditate further…maybe Leia can give me some council._

With that though he rose and made his way out to the docking bay. He didn't even nod at the passing Jedi as he retreated into a pensive state of mind, mulling over what he had seen. A red lightsaber, the colour of the sith, the screaming of a woman he thought he knew and a death. He didn't know how he knew someone had died, only that he did.

Maybe this isn't a vision but a memory, of a time when the Sith existed. They're gone now and they're never coming back…this doesn't feel right though.

"Space Monkey!" He looked up to see Han walking forward. He was surprised how much the man had changed in the last four years since Luke had seen him. The grey that had speckled his auburn hair now dominated it and he had deep laugh lines etched around his eyes.

"Han, it's been too long." Luke said embracing the older man warmly and then turning to Leia. "Leia, when you have a moment, could I speak with you." Before she could say anything Anikan strode forward.

"Actually Master Luke, I was wondering if I could speak with you a moment, I seek your guidance on…" He trailed off, keeping eye contact with Luke. The Jedi Master nodded to the younger Knight and led him to his chambers.

"What is it Anakin?" He asked turning to face him.

"Recently I have been having…disturbing…visions of a man and woman fighting. It's a lightsaber battle, one of them is using a blue lightsaber and the other a red one, there is a woman who is screaming and then…nothing." Luke paused, their visions were so similar it was unlikely.

"What else can you tell me?" asked Luke.

"There is so much rage and pain." He replied, shaking his head. "It's hard to tell anything but I keep having it. It's a little different each time. Sometimes…I can feel the rage, undiluted rage and anger but other times I just feel a deep, profound sorrow that is so overwhelming it leaves me disoriented afterwards…then there is this pain. This deep, unforgiving pain. I can't explain it Uncle Luke. It's like she's not in control of what she's doing and she'd dieing inside." Luke raised an eyebrow.

"She?"

"Yes, Master Luke, she. I have seen the man and woman who are fighting, quite clearly."

"Would you recognise them if you saw them?" At Anakin's nod Luke moved to his computer. "Do you think you could compile an image on them To give me reference. One of them is using a red lightsaber, the art of making synthetic crystals is both lost and banned, only a Sith would seek to revive this knowledge and we must not let the Sith re-emerge."

"But she doesn't feel evil, just angry and a little afraid."

"There is an old saying, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. You don't have to be truly evil…to be evil." Anakin shook his head.

"I don't understand."

"I didn't think you would. When you are older you will understand, but let's hope you never need to." Luke placed a reassuring hand on the younger Knights shoulder. "Let's hope you never found out the way I did." Luke thought briefly of his father He had never been evil, he had turned to the darkside for pure reasons but it had tainted him. If can catch this woman his nephew spoke of early, he may be able to stop her turning to the darkside, he may be able to save a life.

_**IOIOIO**_

Senator Neka Rin reclined back in the his chair.

"Hold the left one higher." He instructed the Rodian holding two suits. One was a dark, blood read with black scroll work from collar to hem, the other was royal blue with golden pin stripes. "Hmm…I like the red one." He mused aloud. "But the blue one looks more stately."

"I think they both look pompous and gaudy, kind of like you." Neka turned to see Ykar, standing in the doorway to his private chambers.

"What are you doing here?" He snarled, clearly unimpressed with the Zabrak's entry.

"I have news on Kamir." Neka dismissed the Rodian who fled the room with the conviction of a man who was sure he would be killed for staying.

"Is he back?" Ykar chuckled.

"He's dead. Risha was at a hanger down town with an antique collector named Ryan." Neka thought for a moment.

"I know that name, Ah yes, the Jedi turned junk dealer, why should I care?"

"He's not a junk dealer, he collects Old Republic, or more specifically, Old Jedi Order artefacts. Gems, ships, holicrons…lightsabers." He let this hang a moment for dramatic effect. "Ryan was trained for years to be a Jedi Knight. Though he left early on in his padwancy he has trained and honed his skills. Perhaps you should have warned Kamir he'd have a Jedi to contend with?" Neka shrugged.

"So what, he died, he was just one bounty hunter among thousands. I'll send another." Ykar chuckled, it was a rasping sound from deep in his throat that made Neka's hair stand on end and his had to tighten on the arm of his chair while the other edged for the dagger strapped to his thigh.

"They've been alerted to your presence now. There's no hope…unless."

"Yes?"

"How about a little…oh…how do you put it…back scratching?"

"..I'm listening."

"As you know there is to be a Senatorial Gala the day after tomorrow…I have a plan."

_**IOIOIO**_

**Name**: Ariot.

**Age:** 24

**Home planet:** Unknown

**Occupation: **Captain in the Senatorial guard, currently assigned to Risha

**Hair: **Blonde

**Eyes: **Blue

**Height:** 5 10"

**Marital Status: **Single.

**Basic history: **Ariot entered the guard at the age of sixteen and trained under the wing of Captain Hanar for four years. She served another two years as a Lieutenant to the prominent Senator of Naboo and after her heroic and competent display in which she saved his life she was promoted to Captain. She was later assigned to the Senator of Kereys who after a year stepped down in favour of Risha whom she has served for a year. Very little is known of her life before this thought Risha has learnt her parents died when she was young and that Ariot feels the Jedi were to blame. Accounts of what happened are vague and sketchy at best but Ariot was left with a hate of Jedi and fear of enclosed spaces. There was a rumour that she was a rather infamous bounty hunter named Sarel Keera in her youth but she neither confirms or denies these rumours and there is no evidence to back up the claim.

**Personality:** Ariot is often abrasive, argumentative and hostile to people she doesn't know or doesn't like however she knows her place in society and behaves with the utmost respect to her 'superiors'. Although she is well versed in hand to hand combat and sword fighting she tends to use her custom, guards blaster and a single Mandalorian battle shield. Her aim is second to none and she can boast the capability of stopping three blaster shots with her shield, blindfolded. Her reflexes are so quick it is almost like she has a sixth sense for danger and she has an incredible knowledge of weapons, armour, bounty hunter markings and security systems which could have begun the rumours of her bounty hunter past which are fuelled by her silence of her life before her guard career. She is naturally suspicious but not overly paranoid and has an uncanny sense of telling when people are lying though she tends to try and stay out of Senatorial business unless it pertains to protecting her ward. A mysterious figure but a highly competent soldier.


	5. Politics of Death

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

_**IOIOIO**_

On board Amidala, Two days after the attack.

By the time Risha had finished pinning her hair up into the ornate Senatorial headdress, Ryan and Ariot had finished mapping out the finer details of the plan, having met three hours ago when Ariot tried to throttle Ryan to get her shoes back, he merely force pushed her away and held her in place until she had calmed down enough for them to talk business. If Ariot hadn't hated him before she _really _hated him now.

Risha, however, was blissfully unaware and was just finished straightening the pearl headdress her dark red hair was weaved through. When she looked in the mirror she smiled triumphantly. Without her handmaiden to do the back it had been a struggle that had taken an hour longer than usual but she had done it, and apart from a small wisp that curled in front of her ear, her hair looked damn good. Reaching for the makeup to one side she began to the task of applying her 'face'. Ryan had painstakingly had the ship prepared for her to give on her birthday which was only a week away. He had several Keryian gowns and headdresses in the closet and a full makeup table for her disposal. He had mentioned something about Ariot's uniform before leaving but she hadn't really been listening. She was applying the blue powder to her eyelids when the door whooshed open.

"We'll be arriving on Coruscant in the hour, Senator." Ariot reported and Risha nodded in the mirror.

"Very good, did you radio ahead to the Palace to inform them where we are?"

"I contacted Talen, yes." Risha put the eye shadow away and retrieved the lip brush and a pot of dark blue paint, she turned to speak to Ariot and her jaw dropped. Ariot's usually unruly and spiky hair was swept back from her pretty, elfin face and instead of the functional, red and blue grubby uniform she usually sported she was wearing a classic cut, black and gold trimmed tunic that cut off mid thigh to reveal black pants that led down to soft, thin black boot that reached to her knees and was trimmed with gold, the Keryian symbol stitched onto the front.

"_Where_ did you get _that_?" She asked, regaining her composure.

"Ryan, it seems, ordered a bunch of guards tunics so that we wouldn't have to land on Coruscant until the ball."

"…He knew your size?"

"I know, creepy." Risha grinned.

"He probably used his Jedi powers to take your measurements or something." Ariot snorted.

"Maybe the Jedi would be more suited as Tailors then. He probably just hacked my file."

"They have your dress size there?" Ariot shrugged, picking up a small pot of rouge. "If you want I'll do your makeup." At these words Ariot threw the pot back down as if burnt.

"Trust me, I'm fine. I just came to tell you that we'll be arriving at Coruscant soon." Risha nodded.

"This is a fast little ship, considering her age….you said you contacted Talen. How is he?" Ariot paused, half way to the door.

"He was a little worried but he's fine."

"For me or you?"

"What?"

"Was he worried for me or you." Ariot threw her eyes skyward.

"I am his superior officer! There is _nothing_ going on between us, despite what you may believe. Can't a man and a woman just be friends?" Risha chuckled to herself, picking up a thin chain and attaching it to each ear, letting it fall along the bridge of her nose and dropping tiny marine gems against her cheeks. With a shake of her head Ariot left muttering _'women_'

"Ah yes, I forgot you don't drop into that category." Ryan said and she turned to face him, leaning against the bulkhead beside the door.

"Would you stop creeping up on me you creepy bastard." She muttered.

"May I draw your attention to the time I hit you in the groin area when I threw something at you and you exclaimed."

"LET IT GO RYAN!" She shouted, clearly displeased. "It was a slip of the bloody tongue."

"Not the only one and that wasn't what you said at all." He said, following her down the hall.

"Not that it's any of your business but yes, I am the female of my specie."

"…And they have nuts?"

"Why not?" She sighed exasperatedly, tossing her arms into the air.

"You really have to learn to lighten up. I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the hangar bay the night before last." She paused, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I wanted to know what happened when the Zabrak took a shot at you." Ariot shrugged.

"He didn't, a destroyer droid got to him first." She began to walk away again but Ryan caught her arm, spinning her around and causing her fist to connect solidly with his jaw, throwing him off balance. "Next time, think before you grab." She snarled and moved to walk away.

"Don't turn you back on me!" She flipped him off behind her back as she made her way to her cabin. Ryan reached out with the force to grab her but she turned to the corner that led to Engineering swiftly. He ran down after her and as he turned the corner her boot connected with his solar plexus, winding him. With a wheeze of breath he double over and took the opportunity to ram her in the stomach with his head, knocking both him and her to the floor. Immediately she grabbed a fistful of his hair and tried to slam his head into the bulkhead but he caught her wrist, slamming his palm into her chin to snap her head back and tossed her a few feet away.

She leapt to her feet and drew her blaster, levelling it at his chest. He lay on the floor, his arms wide and a smile on his face.

"Oh please." He began. "What are you going to do with _that?" _She shot and heard the hum of a lightsaber as, with seconds to spare, he deflected it back onto the bulkhead. "Are you crazy? That was a kill shot!"

"I should be so lucky." She grumbled, holstering the weapon and turning back the way she came.

"What are you hiding?" He asked, getting to his feet, lightsaber still ignited. A hand went to her vibroblade, just in case Ryan's rage got the best of him.

"I'm not hiding anything." She snapped. "Maybe you're the one who's hiding."

"What's that supposed to mean? Don't talk in riddles to me." Her eyes narrowed but she didn't speak. They stood that way for several minutes, staring at each other. "What happened? I want to know."

"I told you, a Destroyer Droid shot him."

"Bull! The destroyer droids were all knocked out by the blast and you know it."

"You must have missed one."

"I didn't, but I didn't miss the lightsaber on the floor either." Ariot tensed. "Did you use it?"

"I can't use a lightsaber, only Jedi can."

"…You're force sensitive, aren't you?" Ryan reached out with the force, probing Ariot to find some trace of the force. The sliver he found was not enough to proclaim her a Jedi though she was more sensitive than most. She wouldn't be able to use a lightsaber and definitely wouldn't be able to call it from the workbench. Perhaps it gave her that sixth sense she boasted but Ariot was no Jedi. "If _you_ didn't use the lightsaber, who did?"

"No one, it was probably knocked off in the blast. Did you think of that? I'm telling you, Ryan, you see conspiracy theories everywhere. It was a droideka. That's my story and I'm sticking to it." He nodded.

"Alright." He paused a moment. "I'm sorry." She started on the spot, clearly shocked.

"What?"

"I'm not saying it again." He snapped.

"…Apology accepted, I suppose I owe you one too." He looked up, waiting for it. "I'll write down an IOU later." She walked away, her boots making no noise on the deck plating. Ryan rubbed his jaw ruefully.

"She mightn't be a Jedi but she sure packs one hell of a punch."

_**IOIOIO**_

The Senatorial gala, that night.

Senator Neka Rin nodded to the Elosian Senators who bowed deeply, their blue heads dipping down to several inches above his head. The nine foot, slender aliens continued on and he resumed his scan of the room. Ykar had promised Risha would be at the gala but an hour in she was still a no show.

"Presenting Senator P'fusalek of Andorla." He looked up to see the aqua skinned Senator crawl down the steps on his four, stilt like legs with his chief aide clicking madly at him as they walked together.

"Senator Rin." He turned to face Keghan, the Iridonian Senator and her bodyguard, a rather large, imposing Zabrak.

"Senator, a pleasure. Thank you for your support in the Senate on Friday, if it were not for the Iridonian influence I am sure the bill would not have been passed and an unnecessary drain would have been put on Republican Resources." The female Zabrak nodded.

"You are a man with much influence, we expect your support in upcoming debates, in fact…we're counting on it." Her voice dropped low and threatening towards the end and Neka swallowed fitfully.

A young, yellow skinned Twi'lek passed by with a tray of champagne flutes and he grabbed one, downing it immediately as the Zabraks moved on. The Twi'lek smiled at him and weaved her way through the crowds, into the back room.

Ryan sat up on the counter with her legs stretching across the narrow passage to rest on the opposite counter.

"That can't be hygienic." The Twi'lek said disapprovingly, slapping her legs down and placing the tray in their place.

"Hey, Fa'rel, did you give it to him?" Fa'rel nodded and put out her hand for payment. Ryan pulled out a roll of Credits and slapped it into her waiting palm. "I knew I could count on you, you never let me down." He patted the Twi'lek on the head and Fa'rel scowled at him, jerking her head away and running a hand over her lekku.

"What did he do to you, anyway?" She asked, straightening the golden lattice she had covering each lekku.

"Oh, not much, tried to kill a friend. Anyway, Risha is waiting to make her grand entry so I better get back. Oh! Are those éclairs?" He made a swipe for one of the creamy buns but Fa'rel slapped his hand away.

"You're fat enough as it is, you don't need an éclair."

"Hey! I'm not fat!" He protested, putting a hand on his stomach. "Now give me that damn cake!" He made a second swipe but a larger hand slapped down on his. The four armed chef glared at him.

"Are you meant to be in here?"

"…No?" Two of his large hands grabbed him and he thrashed in his grip. "Hey! You'll wrinkle the suit! Put me down!" Ryan complained as he was unceremoniously thrown out the back door. It was only divine intervention that he missed the large pile of garbage and he got to his feet, relatively clean and unwrinkled. The alley was empty apart from himself and a Gungan who was making his way towards him.

"Ryan!" Exclaimed the Gungan upon seeing him and throwing his arms around Ryan. "I'sa not seen you in ages, howsa you been doin'!"

"Fine, and how are you?" Ryan said, trying to extract himself from the Gungan's crushing grip.

"I am finishing a jobsa. Very good pay." Replied the Gungan who was also a bounty hunter.

"Really, what do you have to do maybe I can help an old friend?" Ryan offered as they made their way along the street.

"I wouldn't tell most people, but yousa I trust. I am killing a senator in de gala!" Boasted the Gungan, puffing up his chest. This caught Ryan's interest.

"Really who?"

"A woman named Risha Y'darb, do yousa know her?" Asked Wagga.

"You know what, I do. Come with me we need to talk." Ryan cracked his knuckles and pulled the Gungan a little further down the alley.

_**IOIOIO**_

Smoothing her tunic with her hands, Ariot finished her rounds. She had checked the balconies over looking the gala hall and found no trace of anyone who'd want to kill anyone. She would have Talen do the rounds while the gala was on, but right now she had report back to Risha so they could actually get into the Gala. Weaving her way through the dignitaries and security she saw Talen and Kolan standing outside the doors. Kolan let out a low wolf whistle, stroking his snout.

"Heta Morsa, Captain." She gave him a clip upside of the head, she was uncomfortable enough as it was in the damn flashy uniform with them adding to it.

"Watch your mouth." She warned, placing her I.D. against the scanner that allowed her entry. Talen winked at her as she stepped inside and she shook her head. Risha was inside with her two Senatorial Aides and a quick glance spotted Ryan in the corner looking uncomfortable. Ariot nodded to the two guards inside the doors, she didn't recognise either of them but stripes on their cuffs identified them as Ensigns.

"Senator, when you are ready." She said, straightening her sword belt. Ryan looked up at Ariot's voice.

"Finished?" He asked and at Ariot's affirmative nod he grinned, kicking off from where he was leaning against the wall and striding over to Risha. "Shall we?" He asked, proffering his elbow which she took, smiling. The sheer blue gown she wore was on the verge of being scandalous and wasn't one of her own. Ariot guessed Ryan had gotten it for her and wondered just how platonic their relationship was if he was buying her that sort of garment. He himself was dressed up to the nines, as they say on Keryian. He sported a crisp black shirt and pants and his long hair was swept back into a pony tail that hung low and barely reached his shoulders. Ariot trailed them as they made their way to the hall.

"Ryan, your knuckles, they're all bruised." Risha gasped, grabbing his hand and holding it up to examine it.

"I had a little…run in, with an old friend." Ariot snorted.

"If that's how you treat your friends, I'd hate to be your enemy."

"You are." She pulled a face at him as they came to stand at the top of the stairs.

"Senator Risha Y'darb of Kereys and High Kunan Ryan of Serebous." Risha said to the announcer as he finished announcing the presence of the Kamino.

"You're not a High Kunan." Ariot protested and Ryan grinned.

"I saved the Kings life and he pronounced me one, I've got the medallion and everything so chew it!" He said, smirking. As they were announced and made their way down the stairs, Ariot spotted Neka in a blue robe, leaning against a pillar off to one side and pointed him out to Ryan. Neka didn't seem too lucid, he smiled. Fa'rel was right on the job as usual, not that Ryan doubted her for a second anyway.

"Risha, we heard you had been kidnapped." A jolly, well fed man stepped forward, his moustache wiggling jovially as he spoke. Risha recognised him as the Dantooine Senator and smiled broadly.

"Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated. I was in fact attacked by three bounty hunters. If it wasn't for Ryan here I would have been doomed." Ariot cleared her throat loudly. "And of course the diligence of Captain Ariot." Senator Perry turned and gave Ryan the once over.

"You don't look like a Kunan." He said gruffly. "You ain't purple for one and ya ain't got no antennae."

"I'm not a Kunan, I was awarded an honorary position for saving the Kings like in a coup d'état." Perry nodded appreciatively.

"Ah yes, I heard about that. Messy businesses coups. Hmm…I've heard of you before. You're a Bounty Hunter, ain'cha?" Ryan shook his head.

"No, no. I'm an antique's dealer, specialising in Jedi and Old Republic Artefacts." Perry laughed, a rumbling laugh that emanated from his round stomach and caused his whole body to shake.

"Right, right. Must be off though, I have important business with the Korriban delegates. If you'll excuse me." Ryan watched him go with a scowl.

"I don't like him." He said, his eyes narrowing.

"I do, a jolly old fellow." Risha said, taking a flute of champagne. Her eyes scanned for Neka and Ariot indicated where he was with a nod of her head.

"Shall we go over and say hello?"

"Why don't you socialise. Crabapple and I will take care of Neka." Risha nodded and moved off to speak to the Kamino delegates.

"What did you just call me?" Ariot asked, scowling at him as they made their way over. Ryan ignored her, instead coming to stand directly in front of Neka and drawing himself up to look his most intimidating.

"Senator Rin, I have some things I wish to discuss with you, would you care to move to a more private venue?" Neka looked up, his eyes slightly gazed.

"Wha'?" Ariot took a firm hold of his elbow under the pretence of slipping her arm through it. Ryan chatted conversationally to him, placing a hand on his shoulder to steer him down one of the side corridors off the main hall. Before they ducked into the room two soldiers marched past with a rather beat up Gungan held between them who was babbling incoherently. A medic rushed forward.

"What happened?" The young medic asked.

"We found him outside, badly beat up." The guard reported and the Gungan turned to look their way.

"Uhoh." Ryan breathed, ducking his head as he passed.

"That's why your knuckles are bruised." Ariot hissed. "You should be ashamed! He's tiny!"

"I had my reasons." Ryan mumbled, pushing Neka into the boardroom ahead of him. The Senator stumbled a few steps before falling onto one of the chairs surrounding the large, clear glass table.

"What the hell warranted that beating?"

"Well…I was heading to the reception and I met him and…he was boasting that he was going to kill a Senator. I asked him who and he said Risha so I sorted him out."

"…You've got to be kidding me, what are the chances of that?" Ryan shrugged.

"Listen, we've more important things to be worrying about. Lets finish up with Neka quickly." Ryan said, turning to the Senator. Ariot shifted from foot to foot behind him.

"Ryan, if someone hired this Gungan guy, there could be other people hired. I don't think we should leave Risha alone. You go out and take care of her. I'll do this." Ryan shook his head.

"If you're so worried, you go out."

Unbeknownst to them, while they were arguing, a man up on the balcony was peering through his gun scope, the crosshairs aligned with Risha's head.

"Bye, bye Senator."

_**IOIOIO**_

**Name**: Wagga Tang

**Age:** 18

**Home planet:** Naboo

**Occupation: **Mercenary.

**Hair: **None

**Eyes: **Yellow

**Height:** 6 1"

**Marital Status: **Single.

**Basic history: **Wagga was born on Naboo but captured by slave traders at an early age. He was brought to the outer rim and set to work there for many years until the Republic seized his worlds and freed the slaves. With little else for him to do he decided to become a man for hire doing odd jobs which eventually led him to becoming a bounty hunter of sorts. Although not the most accomplished or skilled Wagga has an impressive record for getting the job done.

**Personality: **Wagga is blind in one eye so his aim is somewhat skewed and balance less than prefect but a lifetime of living like this has given him his own sort of clumsy grace and style. He comes across as a regular, easy going Gungan with a flair for the dramatic and an uncanny warrior sense but he is often slow in piecing together problems or taking action. Working on the outer rim for years made him strong, durable and an excellent judge of character. If he deems you worthy then he'll be your most loyal friend for life, if not then he'll probably kill you.


	6. He who runs away lives a little longer

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

_**IOIOIO**_

The cross hairs were directly aligned with Risha's head, the entry point would be directly at her temple. She would not survive, then again, with a man of his marksman ship, no one survived.

"Talen! You up here?" The cry alerted the gunman and he stashed the gun away. Damn, he'd have to take care of her first.

Ariot looked around the deserted balcony, searching for Talen. Kolan had said he'd come up to the balcony to do the half hourly check and wasn't back yet but she could find no trace. "Talen?" She called, walking across the balcony. There was no one there that she could see, which was odd as usually there were two guards stationed up there. It was then she noticed the boot sticking out slightly from behind one of the pillars. Drawing her blaster she inched forward then swung around, pointing her blaster at the foots owner. One, unconscious, Talen.

"Talen." She scanned the balcony again but saw no one so she holstered her weapon and knelt down beside him, checking his pulse. It was fast but strong. "Talen, come on, wake up." She said, slapping his cheek. Talen groaned, his eyes fluttering open for a second, then, without warning he reared up, catching her by the throat and tossing her back. He drew the knife from his boot, ready to plunge it into her heart.

"TALEN!" She screamed, trying to throw him off and immediately he let her go.

"Captain! I thought it was whoever knocked me out. I came up here to make my check and the next thing I know…My god, I'm sorry." He leant back on his haunches, slipping the knife back into his hiding place. "Are you alright?"

"I'm sure no permanent damage was caused." She coughed, a hand moving to trace the angry red marks appearing on her throat. "Did you see who it was who attacked you?" Talen shook his head.

"No, whoever it was, they were humanoid and large. That's about all I can tell you, Sir." Ariot sighed, shaking her head.

"That describes about half the delegates here…Well they're long gone now, why aren't there guards stationed up here?"

"I don't know, lucky you're paranoid and have us do checks, eh?" Talen got to his feet, rubbing his cheek and grinning at Ariot's dirty look. "Here let me." She took the hand he offered up and was forced to clutch his shoulders as he pulled her up to quick and she collided against him. Their eyes locked for a moment, hers surprised, his amused.

"Ehem!" Ariot jerked away from Talen as if burned and swung to face Ryan who was standing in the doorway. "I hate to break up your little cuddle session but Ariot, I need to speak with you." Ariot's face flushed red and she nodded to him.

"Right, Talen, tell Kolan to alert the guards and get yourself seen by a droid. Make sure whoever it was who hit you didn't do you any damage." She gestured for him to leave and with a look to the dark corner of the room he jogged down the narrow stairs. Ariot turned back to Ryan who was leaning against the door frame looking bored and a little amused at having caught her. She walked past him down the narrow stairway that Talen had just disappeared down and he fell into step behind her. "Whatever you think you saw you were wrong, he merely helped me up off the floor and I lost my balance."

"I don't care what you were doing, really, we have more important things to worry about." At Ryan's serious tone her embarrassment faded.

"What did you find out."

"Well, first off that Neka was really easy to break, I only hit him once, but apart from that, he's just a pawn. This isn't just about Risha, this is about controlling the senate. Neka is just one of the senators they're after getting one up on. He only knew his contact from the organization, a Zabrak named Ykar." Ariot stopped so suddenly Ryan crashed into her back with a loud 'Oof'.

"Ykar? As in, Admiral Ykar. The Zabrak who ran a crime ring throughout the whole outer rim, who nearly destabilized, a cold blooded evil murderer who's supposed to be in a Jedi Prison?" Her voice had risen to a shout by the end of the sentence and Ryan took a step back to avoid the spittle.

"Yep, same guy. Why? You know him?"

"Of him." She said, turning away. "I read about him when I was in the academy. How could he be involved, he's locked up." Ryan shook his head.

"No, he wasn't. His transport was high jacked on the way to jail, several Jedi and prisoners killed. He hasn't been seen in over a decade. I remember reading about him in the Academy. He killed some Master and his Padwan went insane."

"Insane? How'd you mean?" She asked, resuming their journey down the stairs.

"I dunno, I was out of the temple by then but apparently she tried to kill Ykar and fled. They've been trying to track her down since but god only knows what happened to her."

"Odd, I thought Jedi were meant to have superb emotional control." Ryan's hand shot out and swung her around.

"What the hell do you have against Jedi? I may not like them a whole lot either but I respect them and what they do. You seem to hate any one who uses the force as if they knocked up your little sister or something."

"I hate to break this to you but I was an only child."

"You're avoiding the question. What do you have against Force Sensitive people?"

"Everything." She hissed. "The Jedi ruined my life. My family was slaughtered because of them. I was put into a orphanage and grew up not knowing who I was or where I'm from. Ariot isn't even my real name, Ryan, it's a name I made up cause I didn't have one. I didn't have one because of the Jedi. Them and their stupid order. Why couldn't they have just left my family alone?" Tears welled up in her eyes and Ryan was immediately sorry he had broached the subject.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." She clenched her jaw and turned away.

"Of course you didn't." She snapped, walking quickly across the hall. "And if you ever repeat what you heard then I'll castrate you with chicken wire."

"Ariot…where are you going?" Ryan asked as she turned down a corridor.

"Back to Neka."

"Why? He's unconscious and Fa'rel said she'd take care of him. We have to get Risha out of here now. Don't you see, she's one of the leading politicians who oppose Neka and his allies. If she is taken down and replaced by someone corrupt then a lot of influence in the Senate will be lost and it's only a matter of time before corruption becomes absolute and a new Empire is just around the corner from that. You may be too young to remember the scars of the Empire but my family was originally from Alderann. I was told the story all through my youth of what it was like and how beautiful it was until the Empire destroyed it. I grew up on Korriban, a world known as the Sith World from the Old Republic Wars. The Empire had a huge garrison there and the scars were all around us. I grew up in the ashes left by the Empire, I didn't come from a cushy place like Naboo that was spared by the Emperor." Ariot smiled and turned to face him.

"Ryan. I'm not from Naboo." She said, shaking her head. "Don't presume you know anything about me. You know nothing."

"I know a lot more than you think. I did a rather thorough background check. You covered your tracks well but I think I know you a little better than you think." Ariot smiled, though there wasn't a hint of warmth in it.

"Oh really, and just what is it you think you know? Well?" Ryan straightened, attempting to tower over her but Ariot was still at eye level and glaring fiercely at him. Ryan cocked his head arrogantly.

"Ariot, you have some skeletons in your closet that are just itching to burst out, and, given time, I'll get to know every single one of them, but we have more important things to worry about now. Risha's life is in danger. Don't you even care?" Something in Ariot's stance changed and Ryan regarded her suspiciously. Had he touched a nerve?

"Of course I care, if she dies I'll get a bad mark on my record." Ariot brushed past him, making it a point to collide with his shoulder. At the touch Ryan gasped, he felt as if cold ice had just been dropped down his back. _What the hell was that?_ He wondered, watching her retreating form. Whatever had happened wasn't natural and he was determined to find out who or what Ariot was and what she was hiding.

_**IOIOIO**_

Risha smiled up at the surrounding delegates, trying to appear calm, cool and confident when inside she was anything but. Had she been in private she'd be pacing constantly while wringing her hands and biting her lower lip. It had always amused Ariot, her nervous tics. Then again, everything Risha did seemed to amuse the unshakeable Ariot. Risha wondered if she ever got worried, she always seemed so cool and detached in crisis situations. So, taking her guards example, she schooled her face into a calm mask and played the part she was born and bred to play…that is until Ryan grabbed her arm and yanked her unceremoniously away.

"If you'll excuse us a moment." He said quickly to the Senators before spiriting her into the hallway where Ariot waited with Talen, Kolan and two other guards.

"What's all this about? Ryan, let go of my arm. What's wrong?"

"You're in grave danger, we have to get you out of here and _now_." Risha's face paled as Ariot and her men surrounded her and marched towards the back exit.

"My car is…"

"We're taking a public flitter. It's safer." Ryan said, pulling her into the alleyway behind the building. Talen was up front and calling over a taxi before she had even made it to the mouth of the alley and she was shoved inside.

"Ariot, what did you find out?" She asked as her body guard took the seat beside her with Ryan on the other side and Talen up front. The other three guards saluted and walked back inside. "Where are they going?"

"They'll take the flitter home in about an hour." Ariot clarified. "Senator, we have to leave Coruscant. We have to get you somewhere safe, somewhere no one would expect. Is there anywhere we could go?"

"…Err. My estate on Kereys. I'm sure my father would be more than happy to take us in." Ariot shook her head.

"No, that'd be under watch. Do you have anywhere discreet, not well known?" She asked, Risha thought a moment.

"Kohmdal has this little house on a small mood orbiting Tiaris IV. We could go there." Risha offered and Ariot saw Ryan stiffen, his jaw tightening, and she filed it away for further reference.

"No, not there." He said dryly. "We can't go anywhere associated with you. Is there no where else?" Ariot squirmed uncomfortably and Ryan looked over at her, raising one eyebrow.

"You got any ideas, Arie?" Ryan asked, regarding her suspiciously.

"There is…one place…that we could…possibly…go. If you want to disappear, there's no place better. No one will find you there, no one will even look."

"Well." Ryan said angrily. "Where is it?"

"…Home." Ariot said uncomfortably. "We could go…back to my home world. It…it doesn't have a name. Not many people live there and it's not on most star maps. I know the coordinates though. I could take you there but we'll need a very fast ship. It's far away." Ryan puffed up with pride.

"Please, my ship could make most Republic scouts look like tricycles. Driver, take us to the North Senatorial Hangars. Faster you get there the more we'll pay you." Ariot shook her head.

"Driver, belay that order." She shifted in her seat to face Ryan, her face grim. "Ryan, you can't come."

"The hell I can't."

"This is a guard matter. I can't let you in on this. Protocol."

"Don't make me tell you where you can stick your protocol."

"If you go there you'll die!" Ariot snapped. "For once in your bloody life listen to me and do what you're told. You can not come, get that through your thick head now, because if you step foot on that planet you'll be killed before you take a second step. On this I can promise you." Ryan looked as if he was going to make an argument but Risha just reached across and placed her hand on his arm.

"Ryan, please. I need someone here to keep an eye on things anyway. To warm the other delegates and to tell Kohmdal that I'm safe. He worries about me." Ryan looked between the two of them angrily.

"Women." He said angrily, shifting to look out the window. Risha smiled sympathetically at Ariot and turned back to Ryan.

"Ryan, it's for your own good…we'll take my ship." Risha said, leaning forward to give the driver his new orders.

"That'll be traced. Take my ship. Most of them are unlicensed." Ryan mumbled, still not looking at them.

"What type is it?" Talen asked from the front.

"Why should you care?" Ryan asked, looking up at the pale skinned and dark haired man in front.

"Because he's a pilot. He'll do the flying. I can't tell the inertial dampeners from the landing gear." Ariot said, sighing.

"It's a modified firebird with Naboo grade III engines. It's fast, it's tough but it maneuvers like a brick." He groused. "I'll show you it when we get to the hangar." Talen nodded and turned back to face the windscreen.

"Don't worry, Mister Ryan, I'll take care of everything." He smiled encouragingly back at Ryan from the window. Ryan decided he didn't like Talen right then.

"You better, if either of them gets hurt I'll personally hunt you down."

"I'm touched." Ariot joked, raising a sarcastic eyebrow.

"The only reason _you're _still alive is cause Risha would bitch if I killed you." He groused, watching the cars beneath him. He couldn't help but notice the black car that was flying directly below them. He had notice it on the way to the gala and thought it was following them but it veered off to the left as soon as they had reached the Senatorial District. He thought it a coincidence before but now… It was just a coincidence. It was probably a different car. How could they possibly know they were in this car?

Even though he tried to rationalize it in his mind, his Jedi senses tingled. Something was wrong…but what? And why was he sure it had something to do with Talen?

"Driver, step on it. Now."

_**IOIOIO**_

Ykar sat back and watched the recording his security bot was showing him. The glass in his hand shattered without him even noticing as he inched closer to the screen.

"A Jedi." He snarled, "She's being protected by a Jedi."

"Even I could have told you Ryan was a rouge and that Risha was his benefactor. It's hardly a secret." Senator Keghan said, crossing her arms. Neka's unconscious form was draped unceremoniously across the table beside her with her body guard looming over him, behind her.

"I'm not talking about Risha and Ryan, look at this." He pointed to the screen. Kamir stood, his blaster raised and Ariot in front of him. He fired and Ariot threw her hands up over her face as the lightsaber beside her flew up from the table, deflected the shot and fell to the floor. "That wasn't Ryan's doing and Risha is as force sensitive as a rock." He hurled the remains of his glass against the wall. "It's HER! IT'S THAT BRAT THAT GAVE ME THIS!" He ripped open the front of his tunic to reveal the mechanics that were wired into his systems. She had crushed every bone in his body and left him for dead, the Jedi had barely saved his life and used their technology to turn him into more machine than man. The rhythmic hiss of his breathing aide, he was told, reminded people of Darth Vader but he was no Sith. His entire chest was coated in metal to aide his damaged organs that ten years on, still weren't healed. "HUNT THEM DOWN! BRING ME ARLENA'S HEAD!" He stormed out of the room then, leaving Keghan with an unconscious Neka and her guard. Stepping forward she squinted at the screen, she could see Risha lying on the floor and Ariot covering her head…was that a girl hiding behind crates? Could she be the Arlena he was talking about?

"Kiliahc, I want you to find out everything you can about this Arlena person. Who is she and why is she so important to Ykar." The Zabrak slapped his closed fist against his chest and marched out of the room. Keghan slipped a dagger from beneath her robes and approached Neka. "Now, time to deal with you my dear, weak, senator."

_**IOIOIO**_

**Name**: Talen Nimoral

**Age:** 28

**Home planet:** Naboo

**Occupation: **Lieutenant Senatorial guard, currently assigned to Risha

**Hair: **Black

**Eyes: **Brown

**Height:** 5 11"

**Marital Status: **Single.

**Basic history: **Talen was an only child, spoilt rotten by his rich, noble father. His mother died in birth so he was brought up solely by his father. Talen entered pilot school intending on becoming a Naboo Fighter Pilot but was discharged from the academy for striking a superior officer. He moved to Coruscant with the intention of finding his fortune and getting a ship of his own, instead he joined the Senatorial Guard, hoping to be assigned to the Flying Division however his noble upbringing saw him learning fencing and martial arts which was considered far more of an asset than his six months in flight school and he was assigned to the senator of Kereys. He is also a master marksman and has several commendations for his skill with a blaster. He'd most likely be a Captain himself if it wasn't for his lack of discipline.

**Personality:** Being an only child of a rich man, Talen was spoilt beyond his wildest dreams. He's used to getting what he wants and when he doesn't he can throw childlike temper tantrums. This has greatly impeded his advancement in the Senatorial Guard. He is a ladies man, often incredibly charming and smooth but he has a wicked temper and great ambition. Easily slighted or offended, he goes to great lengths to get revenge and can become insanely jealous. The only one who has ever bested him in sword fighting and hand to hand combat is Ariot and because of that he has a grudging respect for her ability. He has been perusing romantically ever since but Ariot is either unaware of his advances or ignoring it. Talen is a dangerous man to cross and should be avoided.


	7. Fleeing into the hands of danger

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

A/N: I love cliff hangars. Ah, the hanging goodness.

**Orka**: I want to apologise. When I read your review to do with lemur's I was like 'Has orka finally lost it? Had the little man in her head clawed its way out and begun to use her fanfiction account? but then i saw Madagascar and realised you're still sane...well, relativly. Hope you like this chapter, lots more lemurs. (I like to move it, move it. I like to...MOVE IT!)

**Gevaden**: Assume nothing. That's all I'm saying. Ariot may not be what she may seem but that doesn't mean she and Arlena are the same person but I grantee, Arlena will be coming back into the fic very soon and nothing will be the same. Assume nothing...

_**IOIOIO**_

The speeder swerved down into the traffic below them and Risha was forced to grab Talen's chair to stop herself being thrown about the speeder.

"Alright Senator?" He asked, looking back with a grin on his face. "Nothing like a high speed chase to get the blood pumping, is there?" He laughed as they were jostled some more.

"Quite." She whimpered as she was thrown first against Ariot then against Ryan. Without thinking Ryan wrapped his hand around her to steady her as he looked out the window.

"We're losing them. They were struck by several hovercrafts when they dropped down with us. Take us by the old Jedi Temple before swinging round to the Hangars." He ordered the driver who complied with little more than a grunt before the speeder vaulted off in another direction. Risha clung tighter to him and looked over at Ariot who was sitting unnaturally still, considering the speeder was being jostled about something terrible.

"Ariot, are you alright?" Risha asked, noticing her ashen complexion.

"All this movement isn't agreeing with my stomach, Senator, that's all." She mumbled, looking out the window, her attention focused solely on one thing. The old Jedi temple.

Risha had always thought it had been a rather morbid structure to leave standing. Stretching up hundreds of floors, what once must have been a beautiful building with pillars and arches and statues, flooded with light and the force, was now little more than twisted metal fingers reaching for the sky with the remnant of a floor here or bit of pillar still clinging to life there. It looked ghastly, sad…maybe even a little bit evil, or good tainted evil.

"Have you never seen it before? The old temple. There's a memorial to everyone who lost their lives in the galactic war on the first floor. It was the first thing I saw when I first came here. All Senators are sworn in there to remind them of what corruption can lead to." Risha said, watching the intense sorrow that passed across Ariot's face.

"I know." She said quietly. "I've been there." The Old Jedi Temple was soon left behind them as they came upon the North Senatorial Hangars. Ryan tossed a black key card over to Ariot.

"Hangar Six B, it's the black ship."

"I don't see why we can't take the ship you gave Risha, it's fast, it's got good shields and it…" Ryan cut Ariot off before she could finish the thought.

"Is most probably being watched. Did you forget we were followed to the South Hangars and that we were attacked there. You know, for a guard, Ariot, you have very little idea of Security. It's probably already been tagged." Ariot's glare would have had most men running but the most she got off Ryan was a cock of his eyebrow and a smug half smile.

"Alright, we'll do this your way but you still can't come." Ariot spat, Risha could feel Ryan's muscles tensing beneath her grip so she decided to interject some diplomacy into the situation before blood was shed.

"That's because we need you here Ryan. We need to know what's going and we need someone to warn the other Ambassadors. You're used to striking out on your own and will be far more capable of taking care of yourself in these dangerous times. Not that Ariot or Talen aren't capable but I'd just feel safer knowing it was you." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"We've already had this conversation." He snarled, pointedly not looking at either Risha or Ariot. He did, however, see Talen's smirk in the window. He really, really didn't like that man.

"Alright, that's fifteen republican credits, plus fifty for the damage during the chase, plus ten for the chase, plus twenty for my silence on your plans and five for a tip cause I'm just such a great driver."

"Hundred creds for a cab? Scandalous." Talen joked in the front seat. "Well I don't have a wallet." Ryan pulled out a credit chip and tossed it to the driver.

"You know, I'm kinda glad I'm not going. It means you get to keep all those teeth of yours in your mouth." He snarled at Talen in front.

"Ryan, Talen, play nice." Ariot sighed, getting out of the cab. Talen flashed her a remarkably white smile before stepping out with a hand on his blaster, dark eyes scanning the area for any sign of trouble.

"Risha, if you get into any trouble, just use this and contact me." Ryan whispered as he slipped something into her pocket. "I'll be there as soon as I can, alright?" Risha smiled up at him and nodded.

"Thank you." She went as if to kiss his cheek but thought better of it and slid out of the speeder. "Don't forget to tell Kohmdal that I'm safe and Ryan…I know you don't like him but…play nice."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and the cab sped off.

"So, who's this Kohmdal fella'?" The cab driver asked, looking back in his rear view mirror.

"Her fiancé." Ryan snarled, "And the prince of Kereys."

"Well, important lady she is then?"

"Yes." Ryan whispered. "Yes she is."

_**IOIOIO**_

Ariot took her seat next to Talen in the front of the ship and looked at the hangar as the ship turned for launch.

"How can a guy who rummages around in trash all day get so many ships?" Talen asked, jealousy clear on his face. "Look, most of them are antique fighters. Where did he get those? They're like gold dust, and in such good condition as well." Ariot heaved a sigh, noting that she had been doing this a lot in the past hour.

"I presume he finds them, does them up, and puts them on display here. Plus, he'd know guys who has access to this kind of merchandise, you should suck up to him. Maybe he'll drop you a hint about where he gets them from."

"Fat chance." Talen grumbled as the ship taxied out the hangar doors.

"What, that you'll suck up or he'll tell you?" Talen didn't answer her but continued with preparation for take off. He communed with the control tower for a few seconds and then, without a word of warning, the buildings on either side of them streaked away as they took off with a roar of engines that died seconds later when they hit space.

"I'll need you to put in the coordinates now, Captain." He said, leaving the Coruscant Orbit Traffic Lanes. "So I can plot the hyper drive course." Ariot nodded and leaned across, typing in seemingly random numbers and inputting a safe course for them to take.

"I've made this trip a thousand times, trust me, the course is safe, Talen." She said as he bent to check it. "It'll take just under ninety six hours to reach the planet. I'll set us up with accommodation for however long we'll be there."

"Alright then Captain. I trust you." He flashed her another smile that made her squint with the brightness. Did he rub Denebian glow worms on them or something? "So…the Senator tucked up tight in back?"

"Yeah. There's only one room apart from the cargo hold. Risha's in there. I tossed a mattress in the hold we can sleep on." At this Talen smirked again, casting her a less than professional smirk. "We'll take turns manning the Con. I'll take the first watch, you can go in back and crash for a while." His smile fell a bit at this but Talen figured he had the next Four days and however long they'd be on the planet to get into her bed.

"Yes M'am." He gave a half assed salute then ducked in back to check on Risha. He stooped down to move through the corridors and knocked on the small hatch door. "Senator?"

"Come on in, Lieutenant." She called and he pulled up the heavy lever to allow him access to the room. He found her sitting on a small narrow bunk in what appeared to be the only bedroom in the ship. It was small and cramped and had various bits of junk strewn around it.  
"Estimated time of arrival is about ninety hours. Ariot said she'd hook us up with accommodation once we get there. If you need anything just call, I'll be in the cargo hold or in the Con."

"Thank you Talen." Risha said, picking up a cube like device that rested perfectly on one of its corners. She tossed it from hand to hand, trying to figure out what it was before she put it down. A row of crystals lay on a work bench over in one corner and she got up to inspect them. "Talen." She said as he turned to leave. "What's going on between you and Ariot?" At this he turned back to face her, raising one slim black eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" He asked and Risha smiled, shaking her head.

"Now, now, Talen. I know my Captain a lot better than you may think and I've seen your advances towards her." Talen stuck his chin out, his cheeks colouring even though it wasn't exactly a secret.

"Do you have a problem with it?" He asked, defensively and Risha gave a low chuckle.

"No Talen, not as long as it doesn't affect your work." Talen smiled his trademark, whiter than white, grin.

"Don't worry, I'm sure work wont affect the progression of our relationship at _all_." Risha's eyebrows drew together at the tone of his voice and his smile took on a whole new dimension that made her skin crawl. There really was very little she knew about the young Lieutenant.  
"You're being a bit premature, aren't you? She hasn't accepted yet."

"Nor has she turned me down. Good night, Senator." Talen ducked out and into the back. Seconds later Ariot entered.

"He tell you our ETA?" She asked, jerking her head towards the door to indicate Talen.

"Yes." Risha said, picking up a small pyramid and turning it over in her hands.

"I wouldn't go at that if I were you, who knows what all the stuff in Ryan's room does." Ariot said, her eyes sweeping across the crystals with a sneer.

"Most of the stuff doesn't work. Here, you try." She tossed it at Ariot who caught it without thinking. Immediately it began to glow blue and hum, the tip of the pyramid extending out. Ariot threw it away as if burned, wiping her hands off her black leather pants in disgust. "How'd you do that?" Risha asked, peering at the once again dead pyramid.

"I don't know, I must have pressed a button or something." She said, reaching into her jacket and pulling out a pair of navy gloves she often wore with her usual guard uniform.

"That'll clash, black and navy." Ariot raised her eyebrow as if to say 'should I care' and slipped them on. "Ariot…about Tal…" A shout from the cargo hold drew both of their attention and Ariot grabbed the blaster strapped to her leg, ducking out of the hatchway and pulling open the door only a foot away to the cargo hold. Inside was dark and crates held to each wall by dark green netting cramped the small space further and provided perfect cover and hiding for a stow away. She saw the bunk she had pulled out and Talen's jacket draped across it but no Talen. Her eyes glinted in the darkness as it became accustomed to the dark, crouching down she scanned the floors and shadows for some trace of the Lieutenant or an intruder. Her boots made no sound as the slipped across the metal floor…then it landed in something slippery. Reaching down she smelt the substance that coated a gloved hand and smelt the distinctive coppery tang of blood. Following the trail she saw an unconscious Talen and a figure slumped over him. She raised her blaster and aimed, the red pointer coming on and alerting the intruder to her presence, she aimed at the head, knowing that was the weakest point on any specie.

"Don't move, hands behind your head, stand up."

"I am standing up." Came a female voice and Ariot squinted to get a better look. The person she was pointing the gun at was a child, and Talen wasn't moving. Then she heard the sound of a blaster being powered and the cold nozzle of a blaster was pressed against her temple.

"Whersa Ryan?"

_**IOIOIO**_

Ryan relaxed back on the couch in the waiting quarters of the Senatorial Palace. He had made an appointment to speak with Senator Bevan almost as soon as he had left Risha at the hangars and four hours on he was _still_ waiting.

"Mister Ryan?" He looked up at the young Legosian who had scurried out of the office. For some strange reason he was reminded of a lemur with thick, bottle glasses and a blue bathrobe on when he looked at the secretary. "Senator Bevan of Legos will see you now."

"Thank you." Ryan rose and pulled the long jacket closer around him. If it got any colder he half expected it to snow, to make it worse when he stepped into Senator Bevan's office he saw large ice sculptures of beasts from Legos in various fierce poses. He knew Legos was a glacial world but this was ridiculous.

"Ah, Ryan. Sorry to have kept you waiting, please, sit." Senator Bevan was no larger than her secretary and reached only to about Ryan's knee. Unlike her secretary she was dressed in pink fluffy robes that bore no resemblance to a bath robe but did make her look like a giant slipper. Her white whiskered face and large black eyes were almost lost amidst the pink foliage and Ryan was finding it difficult to keep a straight face while addressing her.

"Senator Bevan, I bring grave news. You life is in serious danger. I believe you aided Senator Y'darb in the capture of Neka Rin? You supplied us with the schematics of the building and…persuaded a few guards to…not do their rounds at the appointed times?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about?" Bevan said, her eyes twinkling mischievously indicating that she did indeed know _exactly_ what he was talking about.

"We questioned Neka Rin, he is indeed as corrupt as ye have thought and more. This goes a lot deeper than we ever realised. We knew he had allies in the Senate but the operation we uncovered is massive. Someone, we don't know who yet, is trying to gain control of the Senate by placing Senators of his choosing in positions of his choosing. He's trying to control the Senate, turn it into a new Empire." Bevan smiled and nodded.

"I know."

"You know?" Ryan asked, a tingling moving up his spine and sending his sense on alert. "Then why haven't you done anything about it?"

"I am." Bevan said, nodding. Ryan swung around and swatted the first dart away, diving for cover, but four more impacted his side and the drugs that entered his system were potent enough to drug a Rancor. He faded into unconsciousness as he heard the beeping of Risha's distress call go off in his pocket.

_**IOIOIO**_

Cliff-hangers, mmm...oh wait...I'm afraid of heights! Someone hold me! (clings to furry fur because she / he is furry.) Still, feel free to give feed back and tell me what you think, ideas, hypothesis, random ramblings. Now, like I said...gotta get that caffeine. (Continues crawling away)


	8. Stow away

Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

A/N: Sorry I took so long to post this, I have no internet connection at the moment and had to come into a café not to mention carious commitments that dragged me kicking and screaming away from my computer. But I'm back and no, furry fur, I don't think I'll stop this fic yet though I have been getting a lot of writers block concerning it. Well, I'm back and here's the next chapter. If you read it then please review so I know that people out there are actually reading it and maybe even liking it. I'm sorry, I'm a review whore and I'm shameless about it.

_**IOIOIO**_

A dark haze covered Ryan's senses and left him in a realm between conscious and unconsciousness. Try as he might he couldn't claw his way to the surface and the force was but a dim light, far, far away. He had been knocked unconscious before, falling objects, booby trapped chests, grenades, blasters, you name it…but never before had he experienced this. He could feel his body, he knew it was there, but the limbs felt like lead and every second he was slipping further and further into the smothering darkness. A cold feeling encompassed his being, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Fear. All thoughts in his mind became jumbled in a miasma of panic but one stood out, one too logic and terrifying to be ignored.

_Is this what it feels like to be dead?_

He floundered like this for a few moments before his long abandoned Jedi training kicked in and drawing upon it he ordered his thoughts, discarding all illogical and unhelpful notions like he was dead. The very fact that he could feel his body and still retained cognitive thought forced him to believe he wasn't dead but merely heavily sedated. Granted, this had never happened when he was sedated before but there were some similarities. The blocking of the force, the awareness of his body but inability to move his limbs and the darkness…but these sensations only occurred as he was waking up and he didn't appear to be regaining any abilities at all. He tried to think and focus but he realised more sedative was being added to his system and it wouldn't be long before he succumbed once again to oblivion. His options were limited but somehow he knew that help would come if only he could concentrate a little harder, reach for that white light far away that pulsed with energy and life. This darkness wasn't as empty as it seemed, it was just another plane of existence. The emptiness his mind could go to, leaving the burdens of the body behind so that he could concentrate. His Master had told him about this, a plane all Jedi reached for as they meditated, when they became just that much closer to the force. It was said you were sent there moments before you died and all you had to do was reach for the light and embrace it, become one with the force.

_I'm not dead yet_.

Ryan snarled in his own mind and reached for the light, fear still nipping at the edges of his mind with oblivion close on its heels. One word exploded forth from his mind, all his need behind it as he grasped the light and shouted into the darkness. One word that could save or condemn him.

_MASTER! _

_**IOIOIO**_

Luke moved through the Senatorial Palace almost as if he belonged there amidst the various Ambassadors and Senators that made up the Senate. His meeting with Leia had proved quite interesting and this 'Empire' movement she had heard about was beginning to worry Luke a great deal. As head of the Senate she would be the next target after this radical movement had seized enough power. Whoever it was that was pulling the strings must be powerful indeed to pull off such a feat in a short length of time and Luke had no leads on who was behind this at all. He had been sensing small disturbances in the force recently and they had been growing steadily. He was almost sure it had something to do with the movement but answers eluded him at every turn and he found himself facing nothing but dead ends.

"Oh Ben, I just don't know what to do." He sighed, leaning up against the wall outside one of the offices. A strange wave of vertigo hit him causing him to stumble. That wasn't a slight tremor in the force at all, that was a very, very big disturbance. Ahead of him he saw the doors burst open and Mara Jade flew out, her feet moving so fast it almost looked as if she _was_ flying. She ran straight past Luke, ignoring him and igniting her lightsaber as she ran, slicing open locked door at the end of the corridor and deflecting the blasts of the guards stationed in the room.

"What the hell is she doing." Luke mused aloud, looking at his wife, her hair still flame red after all these years. He didn't think that even he, the Grand-Master of the Jedi order could still move like she was, her lightsaber spinning wildly and her hand outstretched as she channelled the force, sending chairs and desks flying around the room knocking the guards away. Once they were dealt with she moved onto the next door and sliced away the lock. "MARA! MARA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Luke shouted, racing down after her.

"They have my Padwan!" She snarled. "I must go to him, they're holding him captive."

"Mara, you haven't had a Padawan since…Ryan?" She kicked open the door and was greeted with a less than happy sight. Three Droideka turned to face them, guns outstretched and shields humming loudly with a blue luminescence. "I hope you know what you're doing, beloved." Luke said, drawing his lightsaber as the droids opened fire.

_**IOIOIO**_

"Talen." Risha called, staring at the young guard levelly. "Talen." She called again, trying to draw his attention away from the binders secured firmly around his wrists that he was struggling with. Again he ignored her. "TALEN!" She shouted at last, causing his head to snap up.

"What!" Talen snarled, looking up at Risha with his teeth bared and a determined set to his face.

"You've been trying to free yourself from these binders for the last hour and all you've managed to do is make your wrists bleed. Stop." He shot her a dirty look and looked down at his bruised wrists. Ariot lay slumped against the plating over to one side, her mouth hanging agape and drool slowly edging its way down her chin. The blow Wagga had dealt to the back of her head knocked her our cold and she had been lying motionless for the last few hours. "Think she's alright?" Risha asked, regarding Ariot's prone figure.

"She's fine." Talen growled, beginning to struggle with his binders again.

"Talen, stop it!" Risha snapped, growing impatient with the young officer.

"With all due respect Senator, I don't take orders from you."

"No, your CO is currently out for the count in a charming position over there and if I know Ariot she'd have already smacked you by now, now stop it. You'll only end up hurting yourself more and you need yourself to be in top condition if we're to escape from this blasted Gungan's captivity." She looked up at the binders on her wrists that were lashed to the netting above her, then over at Ariot.

"You have an idea?" Talen asked, his tone thick with sarcasm.

"As a matter of fact…yes. Can you reach Ariot's boots with your feet." She asked. Talen looked confused.

"I'll try." He shifted his weight onto one hip and reached out with his leg, catching Ariot by the ankle and causing her to slip down, her full body weight hanging on the binders and causing her lax hands to go white.

"Oh no, she's cut of circulation to her hands. We have to get her to regain consciousness then she can take out the tools in her boots." Talen looked up at her, catching onto what Risha was planning.

"But these are her dress boots, not her regular ones, I've never seen these ones before, they mightn't be in her boot and even if they are I have no idea how to get to them." There was some shifting in the netting behind them and a small head popped out.

"I can. The Gungan didn't tie me up." The young woman they had seen earlier in the cargo hold before Wagga appeared and had disappeared soon after was apparently back and in a very advantageous position.

"Prop her up, she's cut off circulation to her hands."

"I heard ya the first time." She said, slipping through the netting and walking over to Ariot, propping her up before she knelt down and pulled off her boots. She searched the insides first then examined the outside for any catches that would reveal a hidden compartment but found nothing. "Sorry, I got nothing."

"Frisk her, Ariot is as paranoid as a Hutt." Talen said, watching with interest as the girl opened Ariot's jacket and felt around the pockets then pulled up her shirt to check she didn't have a harness on. She efficiently patted down Ariot's legs and shook her head. "Nope…hold still, I have an idea." She reached inside her dark brown robe and when her hand emerged it held a lightsaber.

"Where did you get that?" Risha asked. She had seen countless crystals and hilts in Ryan's workshops but not completed sabres.

"I'm a Jedi. I was sent to do recon. We like to keep tabs on our rouges. When you arrived I stowed away on the ship, hoping to avoid detection but then you took off. Don't worry, I'll have you out in a jiffy, just hold still."

"We've been here nearly two hours, why didn't you help us before." Talen asked sourly, pulling at the binders that were lashed to the floor between his outstretched legs. The young woman looked at him and sniffed.

"Please, I was supposed to avoid detection…That and when I dove for cover a crate fell on top of me and knocked me out clean. I only came around a few minutes ago and had to move the crate off me as silently as possible." She ignited the blue blade and reached forward, her lightsaber carefully cutting through the middle of Risha's binders before she moved to Talen's. "Should I cut down the sleeping one?" She asked, deactivating her lightsaber in case Wagga returned and saw its light.

"We better cut her down and see what we can do to help her. That blow she took has let her out for the count." Risha moved to Ariot and held her up while the Jedi took hold of the lock and closed her eyes. There was a loud click and the binders snapped open. Ariot tumbled gracelessly into Risha's arms and caused them both to fall to the floor with a loud thump.

"Why didn't you do that with our binders instead of cutting us?" Talen snapped, rubbing his scored wrists.

"Why don't you shut up?" The woman snapped and moved to Ariot. "What happened?"

"She was blaster whipped across the back of the head, can you do something?" Risha asked, propping Ariot back up against the bulk head beneath the crate laden nets.

"I'll try." The woman said and placed her hand against Ariot's forehead. Immediately she pulled away with a gasp, cradling her hand against her chest as if burnt. "Pull down the neck of her shirt!" She demand angrily and Talen happily reached forward, yanking the neck down to reveal her dark grey vest and a large expanse of sternum. Cradled there, attached to a length of braided leather, was a uncut, silvery crystal. "I thought as much. Dead rock. Why would she have dead rock around her neck, that'll cut her life span in half!"

"What's dead rock?" Talen asked, finally focusing on the crystal and not her cleavage.

"It is a type of crystal, only found in the old Outer rim, in a small dead planet completely crystallised. It's core is dead and it's mainly just a floating rock but the crystal that's there is…dead. Some horrible catastrophe must have happened that wiped out all the life on the planet and left only the crystal. The crystal…it absorbs the force. Kills the mediclorians but every living thing has mediclorians so exposure to it, even this small amount, over a length of time will slowly kill you. Why would she wear such a thing?" Risha looked up, a sad look in her eyes.

"Ariot doesn't like Jedi. I don't know why. Maybe she wears it as a sort of…protection against them." The Jedi nodded.

"Yes, it would dull the effects of any force used against her and drain force energy. She doesn't need it." The Jedi reached out and grabbed it, trying to pull it away but the cord was too thick and she ended up just snapping Ariot's head forward, waking her. Ariot immediately jerked away, holding the crystal to her chest protectively and snarling at the Jedi.

"Stay the heck away from me!" She shouted and immediately Talen and Risha shushed her. It was too late, Wagga heard and burst into the back room, his blaster at the ready. He fired but the Jedi ignited her sabre and deflected the shot off into the crates netted against the walls before force pushing him away and pinning him there. He began to choke, trying to clasp at his throat but his hands were held tight and he soon fell unconscious. The Jedi walked away, stepping over his slumped body and into the cockpit. "Why is my shirt ripped?" Ariot asked, examining the ripped collar of her loose shirt. "And why are my boots off?"

"Jedi did it." Talen said, blushing and looking away. Risha gave him a withering look and stood.

"I'm going to go out see what she's doing."

"How'd she even get on board?" Ariot snarled and Risha stopped before Wagga's body, turning to face her.

"She stowed away in the ship to avoid detection and ended up getting carried along for the ride. She was checking up on Ryan. The Order like to keep tabs on their rouges." Ariot nodded slowly.

"What does that have to do with my necklace? Why did she want to remove it?"

"She said it was dead rock, that it kills mediclorians and would half your life span. She just wanted to help." Talen said, slipping his arms around her. She shrugged him off, earning a stern glare.

"Don't." She warned and turned back to Risha. "Don't trust her. The Jedi Order don't send people to spy on rouges. She's not here to keep tabs on Ryan, that's one thing sure and certain."

"Then why is she here?" Risha challenged.

"I don't know, not yet, but I'll find out. Make sure she doesn't change our course heading." Ariot got to her feet, rubbing her hands. "What happened to my hands, they feel so weird." Risha stepped over Wagga's body and moved to the cockpit. Talen got up and took Ariot's binders, binding Wagga's hands to the netting above him in his sitting position and giving him a stern punch across the face.

"That's for my split lips you stupid Gungan." He snarled, running his tongue over his lips. He tuned back to Ariot and saw her sitting against the bulkhead, staring off into space. "What is it?"

"Something is wrong…something is wrong about this whole thing. How would she know what dead rock is? That's classified material. Only a handful of people know about it not to mention the fact that Jedi generally don't use the force to choke people into unconsciousness. What if she's not a Jedi…what if she's a…"

"Ariot, if the next word out of your mouth is Sith I'll smack you. The Sith Order was destroyed, both Sidious and Vader were killed. There are only ever two Sith at any one time."

"Luke still lives, Vaders son." Ariot said sourly. "If you ask me the whole Jedi Order is corrupt." Talen reached down and helped her up.

"I'll make it a note not to ask you then. They're not all bad…pompous pains in the ass but people feel safer knowing they're around. Come on, let's keep an eye on our new guest."


End file.
